People, who were stuck in Lahaul-Spiti for days, had the worst nightmare of their life. Among them was one Rajiv Bahadur from Nepal, who went blank when he learnt that his father Shashi Bahadur (55) had fainted and died near the Shinkula Pass.
The duo was with a group of 22 persons, all from Nepal. With no help in sight, they decided to move towards Lahaul from the Zanskar region of Jammu and Kashmir in two groups.
Rajiv’s father was with the other group when he fell unconscious. Though his companions put in efforts to help him gain conciousness, the latter did not get up.
Thinking he was dead, they wrapped his body in a cloth and buried him under the snow. The group decided to come back and perform the last rites later. When both groups met a few km ahead of the Shinkula Pass toward Darcha, Rajiv started looking for his father. When he did not see him, he asked those accompanying him where his father was. On being told that he had died on the way, Rajiv decided to go back for him.
When he reached near the Shinkula Pass, he went to the spot where his father had been buried. On noticing some movement there, Rajiv, with the help of others, removed the snow and found his father alive. Shashi was then airlifted and taken to hospital. His condition is stated to be stable. There are many other such incidents. Recently, a video showing two people trapped under snow near the Baralacha Pass went viral. The two were seen asking for help, saying they were helpless and had nothing to eat.
Thanks to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the situation is normal in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti now. The Manali-Leh road has been restored via the Baralacha Pass. Now, the BRO is moving towards the Kunzum Pass from the Manali and Kaza side to connect Kaza with Manali and Lahaul.
Snow is being cleared to restore the Rohtang Pass. Kullu DC Yunus Khan said on Sunday, the traffic was restored on both right and left banks of the Beas between Kullu and Manali for light vehicles, while it would be restored for heavy vehicles within a day or two.
