Trekkers from West Bengal stranded near Himachal Pradesh’s Rupin Pass; adverse weather hinders IAF’s rescue operation

Shimla: A group of trekkers from West Bengal, including a woman, has got stuck near Rupin Pass on the way to Sangla valley in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district, an official said Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_6770001” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Rupin Pass. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Soon after the trekkers were reported stranded, an Indian Air Force helicopter was pressed into service to rescue them, but it could not land at the site due to adverse weather Thursday evening, the official said. The rescue operation would resume Friday at 5 am, he added. Trekker Sudha Bhattachargee was also reported to have injured her leg, the official said. The trekkers were on their way to Sangla valley in Kinnaur district via Rupin Pass from Dhaula in Uttarkashi district of neighbouring Uttarakhand, he added. Shimla Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap earlier got the information about the stranded trekkers and he brought it to the notice of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The chief minister directed Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Shrikant Baldi to ensure their rescue, he added. Baldi requested the IAF to rescue the stranded trekkers, following which a helicopter was pressed into service, he said.