At least one shepherd has been reported dead and as many as 50 could be stranded in Dhauladhar ranges at Bara Bhangal area of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district as untimely snowfall wreaked havoc in the state, a district official said on Tuesday.
“We received information on Sunday of death of a shepherd, Rakesh, who had gone to Dhauladhar ranges from Galogi village near Paddar in Nagrota Bagwan tehsil for grazing about 500 sheep,” Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said.
Some 50-60 shepherds may have taken their sheep from Paddar area to Dhauladhar hills for grazing on Sunday and could now be stranded, the official said.
“Subsequently, we formed two search and rescue teams including some family members of the stranded shepherds but they are unable to tread to ranges to locate or assist anyone due to about six feet high snow there,” the official said. A search party returned with 35 sheep and goats and two dogs to Multhan.
The district administration fears that the shepherds could fast run out of rations, and has asked state chief secretary BK Agarwal for a helicopter to help deliver food and rations to them until they are rescued. PTI
