West Bengal pilgrim found dead on Kinnaur Kailash yatra route
A 36‑year‑old pilgrim from West Bengal, who had embarked on the Kinnaur Kailash Yatra, was found dead on the trekking route between Parvati Kund and the Kinnaur Kailash peak in Kinnaur district, police said today.
The deceased has been identified as Dipankar Kirtania, son of Mahadev Kirtania, a resident of Chandiberia in South Rajarhat, Gopalpur, West Bengal.
According to police, the body was spotted among boulders by the temple committee member and a Home Guard during their visit to the area on August 10. After spotting the body, they immediately informed the police. A team comprising police personnel, Quick Response Team (QRT), and Home Guards retrieved the body and brought it to Ganesh Cave. On August 11, the body was taken to the Regional Hospital, Reckong Peo for post-mortem.
Kinnaur Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Shekhar confirmed the report and said that police had informed the deceased’s relatives, who had reached Reckong Peo. He also said that further investigation is underway.
Till now, as many as four pilgrims, who had gone for the yatra have lost their lives while over 1,100 have been rescued.
Meanwhile, the district administration has given its nod to resume the yatra from August 13 onwards, following favourable weather conditions and the completion of the restoration work on the route that was damaged due to a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst on August 5.
Amit Kalthaik, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Kalpa, today said that the yatra will be resumed on August 13 and registration will be conducted on August 13 and 14 only through offline mode. He said that the registration will start at 6.00 am, with a maximum of 250 pilgrims allowed each day.
“August 15 onwards, pilgrims will be able to register both offline and online. The daily limit will be 100 pilgrims through online registration, 100 through offline, and 50 through KTA slots. Registration slots for August 15 will open on August 13 at 2.30 pm. All other procedures related to the pilgrimage will remain in accordance with the guidelines issued earlier,” he said.
The yatra commenced from July 15 and will continue till August 30, but had been suspended multiple times due to erratic weather conditions. The yatra begins from Tangling village in Kinnaur and concludes at Kinnaur Kailash peak, situated at the altitude of 6,050 metres above sea level.
Due to the physically demanding nature of the yatra, only individuals aged between 16 and 60 years are generally permitted to participate. All pilgrims are required to present a medical fitness certificate, which can be obtained either from the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Tangling, or any registered medical practitioner.
However, pilgrims aged between 60 and 70 years are allowed to undertake the yatra only if they obtain their medical certificate specifically from PHC, Tangling.
Himachal Tribune