In a tragic incident where two trekkers died during an expedition in Himachal Pradesh's Bir Billing, the German Shepherd dog that was accompanying them, guarded their bodies and kept barking till they were found by the rescue teams on Tuesday, nearly 48 hours since the time they went missing.
As per media reports, the deceased trekkers have been identified as 30-year-old Abhinandan Gupta from Punjab's Pathankot and 26-year-old Pranita Wala from Pune.
After preliminary investigation, the two appear to have died after a fall. However, the authorities said the post-mortem would confirm the cause of death.
Himachal's Bir Billing, located at an altitude of 5,000 feet, is a well-known destination, particularly for treks and paragliding.
All about the incident
Upon registering a missing complaint lodged by the others who were with Abhinandan and Pranita, police promptly sent a search party to look for them.
According to one of the members in the rescue team, two teams were they put into action.
The bodies were reportedly discovered three kilometres below the point from where paragliders take off.
"This is a steep area and turns very slippery during snowfall. It appears they slipped and fell. They managed to get up once, but slipped again," he said. As he spoke, the German Shepherd kept barking and wailing next to the bodies. The bodies have been handed over to the families after autopsy.
What did the police say?
According to the Kangra district police chief Veer Bahadur, the woman from Pune a few days back and had set out after a round of snowfall.
"The preliminary probe has found that a group of four people, two of them women, set out in a car. When the car could not proceed beyond a point, they started walking. As the weather changed, two people in the group backed off and returned to safety with the help of others there. But Gupta reportedly said that he knows the route and he, Pranita and the dog went on their way," the officer said.
Sending out a message for the tourists, officer Bahadur said, "The Kangra district is receiving heavy snowfall and the weather is changing swiftly. So any tourist venturing out must be accompanied by a local resident or a guide who has knowledge about this area. Tracks get covered in snow and it is not possible for tourists to figure out the route."
He further mentioned that the phones are of no use owing to poor connectivity in the area.
"Avoid going out, the weather is poor," he added.
