Two pilgrims from Hyderabad among 3 dead in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Two pilgrims, hailing from Hyderabad were among three persons who died in separate rain-related incidents as heavy showers lashed most parts of Uttarakhand on Saturday.
In the first incident, Satya Narayan (50) and Nirmal Sai (36) from Hyderabad — died in a landslide as they came under the debris of a landslide caused by the rain in Chatwapeepal area of Karnprayag in Chamoli district while travelling on a motorcycle on the Badrinath national highway route.
State disaster response force (SDRF) commandant Manikant Mishra told TOI, “The incident happened as the two were returning from Badrinath after offering prayers. They were trapped under large boulders when crossing the area.
Our teams retrieved the bodies from the debris and handed them over to the local police,” Mishra added. Karnprayag police station SHO, inspector Devendra Singh Rawat, said that Sai was a resident of Tirumalavasa area, and Satya Narayan was from Seethaphalmandi, both in Hyderabad.
Rawat said, “The two were part of a group of four who had rented two motorbikes in Rishikesh. Sai and Satyanarayan were on one bike, while Sai’s brother, rode ahead. A massive boulder fell from the hillside, killing Sai and Satyanarayan on the spot.” He added that the Sai’s was severely disfigured and his brother agreed to perform his last rites in Chamoli due to the condition of the body. Arrangements were made to send Satyanarayan’s body to Hyderabad for his final rites, he said.
In another incident, Shanti Devi, 52, a resident of Thelagauth village in Banbasa area of Champawat, was swept away by a strong current while attempting to cross a seasonal river late Friday night. Her body was recovered on Saturday morning.
Meanwhile, water levels of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers rose dangerously due to the rains, with Alaknanda’s waters entering areas near Karnaprayag ghats. Authorities in Rudraprayag and Chamoli said they had urged residents to evacuate from riverbanks and low-lying areas. In a meeting through video conference, CM Dhami directed the divisional commissioners of Kumaon and Garhwal to stay on high alert and manage the ongoing crisis.