Uttarakhand: Maharashtra tourist missing after falling into gorge

A 65-year-old tourist from Maharashtra, identified as Ram Kumar Hanuman Gupta, went missing after falling into a gorge approximately 130 metres deep along the Gangotri-Gaumukh trekking route in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. The incident occurred on September 25 around 2:30 p.m. near Kachhidang.

Search and rescue operations have been active for two consecutive days, involving an 18-member team composed of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, forest department staff, police, and local porters. Efforts have focused on areas including Kachhidang, Chirbasa, Devgarh Khala, and the riverbank near Ram Mandir.

Heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions have significantly hampered rescue efforts, and the missing individual remains untraced. Due to a red alert issued by the weather department, district administration has suspended pilgrimages to the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines at the Hina and Dobata holding points as a precaution. Emergency operations centers remain on high alert to monitor potential landslides and road blockages.