Five Rajasthan trekkers located safe in remote Bara Bhangal valley
Five trekkers from Rajasthan, who had gone missing while trekking towards the remote Bara Bhangal valley in Kangra district, have been located and reported safe, officials said on Thursday.
Arvind Sharma
Oct 9, 2026 11:16
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Dharamsala, October 8, 2026: Five trekkers from Rajasthan, who had gone missing while trekking towards the remote Bara Bhangal valley in Kangra district, have been located and reported safe, officials said on Thursday.
SDM Baijnath Sankalp Gautam said contact had been established with the group in Bara Bhangal, following which a police team was dispatched to the area to bring the trekkers back safely.
The five trekkers—Ankur Malani, Satyam Saboo, Pawan, Shyam R. and Tarun Rathi—aged between 28 and 35 years, had set out from Bir towards Rajgundha on October 5. They were scheduled to proceed from Rajgundha towards Bara Bhangal and cross the Thamsar Pass on October 6.
However, deteriorating weather conditions hampered their movement, with high-altitude areas witnessing heavy snowfall on October 6 and 7. The group subsequently lost communication, triggering concern among the authorities.
The District Disaster Management Cell received information late on Wednesday night that there had been no contact with the trekkers for around 12 hours. Rescue teams in the Bir-Billing area were alerted and a search operation was initiated.
The administration later established contact with the trekkers in Bara Bhangal, confirming that all five were safe.
Officials said the group was likely unable to proceed as planned because of the adverse weather and heavy snowfall along the high-altitude route.
