Uttarakhand government orders magisterial inquiry after 9 Karnataka trekkers die in Uttarkashi
Jun 06, 2024
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 6 : Uttarakhand government ordered a magisterial inquiry into the accident that occurred with the trekking team due to bad weather on the Silla-Kushkalyan-Sahastra Tal track route in Uttarkashi district.
On the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Chief Secretary has ordered a magisterial inquiry.
State Chief Secretary Radha Raturi asked the Garhwal Commissioner to conduct an impartial investigation and provide his report to the government as soon as possible.
According to the order, "Uttarakhand Government has decided to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the accident that occurred with the trekking team due to bad weather on the Silla-Kushkalyan-Sahastra Tal track route located in Uttarkashi."
"Commissioner of Garhwal Division will conduct the magisterial inquiry and ensure to submit the report to the government as soon as possible," the order further reads.
As many as nine trekkers from Karnataka, out of a team of 22, who were on expedition Sahastra Tal in Uttarakhand, have died after they were hit by adverse weather conditions.
Uttarakhand's State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered four more bodies from the incident site after five bodies were recovered yesterday. After the completion of the rescue operation by the SDRF team, the bodies were brought to Bhatwadi via helicopter.
The deceased have been identified as Venkatesh, Padanadh Kundapur Krishnamurthy, Anita Rangappa and Padmini Hegde, all hailing from Bengaluru in Karnataka.
The recovered bodies were sent for post-mortem in Uttarkashi district.
Uttarakhand Police said on X that the rescue operation to search for the trekkers trapped on Sahastra Tal track has been completed.
Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah has expressed his condolences on the demise of trekkers.
"Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of five trekkers from our state due to adverse weather conditions in Sahastra Tal, Uttarakhand. I pray for the peace of the departed souls," he said in a post on X.
