44 stranded tourists rescued near Kunzum Pass in Lahaul and Spiti district

Mandi, July 15

The police rescued 44 stranded tourists safely from Kunzum Pass in Lahaul and Spiti district in the wee hours on Monday.

The police received information at 2:30 am that several tourists in a bus (number LA 02A 6417) and a pickup (number HP 42D 1385) were stranded near Kunzum Pass on the Kaza-Gramphu highway. Acting swiftly, the Lahaul and Spiti district police under Sub Inspector Pawan Kumar led the rescue operation.

Lahaul and Spiti SP Mayank Chaudhary said, “ The district police have decided not to allow any tourist vehicles to travel from Kaza towards Koksar via Kunzum Pass after 4pm daily, and vice versa from Koksar towards Kaza. Only local vehicles, emergency situations, and pre-booked vehicles on this route will be permitted to travel after 4pm.”

The bus and pickup left Koksar and headed towards Kaza at 5 pm on Sunday.The vehicles got stuck 500 mt behind Kunzum Passtowards Batal in a muddy terrain. “A rescue operation was conducted successfully between 2:30 am to 6 am,” he said.