The search and rescue operation for the missing trekking group on the Kedartal track in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, entered its seventh day with rescue teams intensifying their efforts. On Thursday, rescue personnel recovered yet another body from the treacherous terrain, taking the total death toll from the disaster to five. Meanwhile, search operations for the remaining missing individuals are continuing at full throttle.
According to reports issued by the district emergency operation center, three bodies were airlifted to the Matli helipad by helicopter on November 4. Another body was brought from Kedartal to Matli later in the afternoon. Following their retrieval, all the recovered bodies were shifted to the district hospital in Uttarkashi for formal identification and further procedures.
Identification of Victims and Ongoing Search
Among those who lost their lives are two sisters hailing from Lucknow. The deceased were identified by their grieving family members at the district hospital as 28-year-old Vartika Verma and 29-year-old Deepika Verma. The identification process for the remaining bodies is currently underway. Reports indicate that a total of eight people, comprising seven trekkers and one guide, went missing on the Kedartal trail after being caught in heavy snowfall and a sudden avalanche. So far, four bodies of trekkers have been recovered, while search efforts for the remaining missing persons are actively ongoing.
Administrative Monitoring and Family Accusations
The local administration confirmed that search and rescue operations will continue on November 5, with the district magistrate personally supervising the entire mission. However, the tragedy has taken a painful turn as the father of Deepika and Vartika levelled serious allegations against the tour organizing company, claiming that they failed to airlift his daughters in time and prioritized their own staff instead.
Background of the Bereaved Family
According to the grieving father, the company rescued its own employees first while both sisters kept pleading for help to be airlifted. This heart-wrenching detail was reportedly shared with Deepika's brother Atul by the company employees who were rescued by air. Shrinarayan Verma, originally a resident of Sarai Pandey in Barabanki, lives in Gayatripuram, Guramba, along with his wife Usha, daughters Deepika and Vartika, and son Atul. Shrinarayan retired as a worker from the agriculture department about a year ago. He shared that his elder daughter Deepika worked for a Mumbai-based company and was currently staying at their Lucknow home due to a work-from-home arrangement, a routine that tragically ended with this fateful expedition.
