KULLU: A total of 116 people, including foreign nationals, have been reported missing in the mountains of Kullu’s Parvati valley, since 2011, with search teams locating 94 of them—dead or alive— and 22 still unaccounted for, according to police records.“That’s a staggering number by any standard,” said Dhale Ram Suman, a local search-and-rescue expert and president of Kasol Valley Adventure Tour Operators Association.Suman cited absence of tracking systems on high-altitude trails such as Pin Parvati Pass, Sara Umga, Sar Pass, Kheerganga and Mantalai as primary obstacles for the high missing count.“The biggest hurdle for rescue teams is just getting a clue on where the person actually went,” Suman said.Local operators have repeatedly urged the Kullu administration to set up registration check posts, mandate local guides and establish a dedicated Tourist Information Centre.They argue that mandatory local guides would bolster safety while generating employment for hundreds of local youth.
Some of the missing
Rescuers have also warned of deadly black spots, including Potraghat on the Kheerganga-Mantalai trail, where multiple trekkers have fallen to their deaths.Kullu conservator of forests Sandeep Sharma said entry gates and monitoring systems are planned for key routes like Kheerganga under an ecotourism model, though tracking tourists on informal village paths remains difficult.Kullu superintendent of police Abhishek S urged visitors not to trek alone and to seek forest department clearances. “While search operations are launched immediately, the extreme terrain severely hampers rescue efforts,” he said.Beyond hazardous terrain and poor mobile coverage, search teams cite drug tourism as a critical risk factor. Known for high-grade cannabis, locally known as “Malana Cream”, the valley draws tourists into risky and unfamiliar environments under the influence.“Parvati Valley has steep mountains, dense forests and a ferocious river. Many venture out without guides, get high and lose their way in the dark, or slip into the river,” said Chhape Ram Negi, a veteran rescue expert from near Jari village, while adding, “…and for those who fall into the river, we have a saying, ‘Whatever goes into the Parvati does not come out.’”
Recent Cases
- Aug 24 | A 32-year-old Delhi man,
Narender Rawat , goes missing from the Parvati Valley. His last known location is Manikaran - Aug 9 | Sukant Guin, a resident of Jharkhand studying in Jalandhar, goes missing from near Malana while on a trek from Naggar
- May 10 | Mohit Chaudhary, a Delhi tourist, goes missing from near Malana in the Parvati Valley. His body is found near the Waichin rivulet in the Malana area on May 14
