Five tourists rescued from snow-bound Kaza-Manali road, 40 km away from Loasr village
Five tourists stranded for the last three days on Kaza and Manali road 40 km away from Losar village in Lahaul Spiti district were rescued Tuesday.
According to the spokesperson of Lahaul Spiti district administration said that with the help of local youth, the administration rescued five tourists stranded for two days on Kaza Manali road, 40 km from Losar village of Spiti.
The rescue parties got information on December 17, 2023, that a Fortuner vehicle had left from Losar for Manali. The local people also tried to stop the occupants of the said vehicle to not going toward snowbound roads but still they left.
The next day, when the relatives of the tourists contacted the administration, the District Magistrate decided to rescue them.
Victims were identified as the driver of Fortuner Lakshya Garg Dwarka Puri Sirsa Haryana, Yash Dhingra 65/24 First Floor New Rohtak Road Karol Bagh, Central Delhi, Ayush Panghal 27 A Jyoti Apartment Sector 14 Rohani Sector Northern West Delhi, Ansh Bharti Aryapuri Ratu Road Hehal, Ranchi Jharkhand and Anshul Chauhan are residents of village Chogaon Tehsil Kotkhai District Shimla.
A team from both Spiti and Keylong sides left on December 18, but after going up to three kilometers behind Kunjam Top Vehicles also stuck due to excessive snow.
The rescue team includes local administration, ITBP, BRO, Garg Son’s estate promoter Pvt Ltd, new India Contractors and Developers Pvt Ltd, Public Works Department, Forest Department, Police, Losar Kaza, youth and TAC members from various villages of Spiti and Kesang Rapchik was involved in the operation.
On the first day of the rescue operation, the team had to return halfway. Then the team stopped at Losar rest house. On Tuesday morning, the rescue team again left for Batal with 10 vehicles.
At around 2.30 pm the team reached Batal Rest House where the five tourists were staying. While climbing about ten kilometers away from Batal, their vehicle could not climb on the slippery road and stuck in the middle of the road.
Tourists after passing horrific Dec 17 night in ice cold temperatures fell ill and their health deteriorated significantly.
When their car got stuck, three friends went on foot to Chhadu to seek help. But they did not get any help and came back exhausted.
Then they decided to break the lock of the locked rest house in Batal and make arrangements for a night’s stay and then all five reached the rest house.
Kaza’s team reached first and everyone was rescued safely. The rescue team has done a better job under the leadership of SDM Harsh Amarendra Negi. Naib Tehsildar Prem Singh was also leading the team.
The youth of Spiti have played a big role in the rescue operation. Lahaul Spiti administration expressed special gratitude to all the youths involved in the operation.
After safely rescuing all the rescued people have expressed heartfelt gratitude to the state government, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, District Lahaul Spiti Administration, and local people for the rescue operation.
