37 members of expedition return from Kalindi trek, guide’s body to be retrieved
Wednesday, 07 June 2023 | PNS | NEW TEHRI
Following the death of a guide with an expedition team on the Kalindi trek in the Gangotri national park in Uttarkashi district, the remaining 37 members of the group have returned safely to Gangotri.The trekking agency has dispatched a 10-member team to retrieve the body of the guide. The Gangotri national park and district administration have provided hi-tech communication facility to this group.
According to information provided by the district disaster management department, a total of 38 persons including 14 trekkers along with guides and porters had departed on the Kalindi trek in the last week of May. The weather started to deteriorate soon after the expedition began and it continued to worsen. The group had to halt at the base camp situated at above 19,000 feet altitude due to the inclement weather. The health of the guide identified as Bipendra Rana deteriorated and he passed away in the base camp. The trekking agency was informed about the death occurring on June 4. The agency then sought a helicopter from the authorities to retrieve the body of the guide. The Gangotri national park range officer Pratap Singh Panwar informed that 37 members of the expedition had returned safely to Gangotri on Tuesday. The necessary procedure had been followed to get a helicopter form the government but inclement weather in the area had prevented the use of a helicopter to retrieve the body. The 10-member team sent by the trekking agency to retrieve the body is currently held at Bhojbasa due to inclement weather further on the route. The State Disaster Response Force has also been deployed for necessary assistance, according to official sources.
