National

Four BRO Workers Killed in Badrinath Avalanche; 50 Rescued and 5 Remain Missing

Published

1 year ago

March 1, 2025

Tragically, four BRO construction workers have lost their lives after being trapped under an avalanche in Mana Village, near Badrinath, Uttarakhand. Meanwhile, a coordinated rescue operation involving the Indian Army, ITBP, BRO, and the Indian Air Force successfully saved 46 other workers on Saturday. Efforts are ongoing to locate the five remaining workers still trapped.

Although the Uttarakhand government has not yet confirmed the fatalities, Indian Army PRO Lt Col Manish Shrivastava stated, “As of the latest update, it has been confirmed that 50 individuals have been rescued thus far.” He further reported, “Regrettably, four injured individuals have been confirmed as fatalities. Priority is being given to evacuating the injured, and the search operation, led by the army, is continuing to locate the remaining five.”

Lt Col Shrivastava elaborated that the avalanche rescue operation is currently being conducted by the Indo-Bhutan Expeditionary Brigade (IBEX Brigade) of the Indian Army. Six helicopters have been deployed for the evacuation efforts due to road blockages, including three Cheetah helicopters from the Indian Army Aviation, two from the Indian Air Force, and one civil helicopter contracted by the Indian Army.

It is noteworthy that the IBEX Brigade is a specialized unit trained in high-altitude and mountainous operations. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami conducted an aerial survey of the avalanche site to assess the ongoing rescue efforts. He clarified that the number of workers trapped in the avalanche was 55, not the previously reported 57.

The Chief Minister said, “There were 55 workers on site when the avalanche struck on Friday, and by late night, 33 had been rescued and transported to safe locations and hospitals. As rescue operations continued, 17 more trapped workers were saved today. The challenging weather conditions, including heavy snowfall, have complicated the rescue efforts, and the helipad in Mana is buried under snow.”

“Additionally, there is a complete power outage in five blocks near Badrinath. More than 200 personnel from the Indian Army, BRO, ITBP, SDRF, Indian Air Force, Fire Service, Disaster Management, state health department, and state police are engaged in the rescue operations. Of those rescued, 23 were airlifted and transferred to the army hospital in Joshimath,” reported Dhami.

National

UP Teen Dies in Street Racing Crash In Lucknow

Published

6 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Uttar Pradesh: A 17-year-old Class 12 student died in a road accident during a street race in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday.

The victim, Naitik Kumar, was riding a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 with a group of bikers near Janeshwar Mishra Park. While racing, he suddenly lost control of his bike after hitting something on the road.

His bike crashed into a Honda Activa in front of him. He then fell onto a road divider and suffered serious head injuries.

The Activa slid across the road and hit another bike, a Kawasaki Ninja, which was moving at high speed. The Ninja rider was adjusting his action camera when the accident happened.

Naitik Kumar was rushed to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead. Police said he was not wearing proper protective gear.

Two others involved in the accident suffered minor injuries. Police are checking CCTV footage to find the exact cause of the crash.

National

BCM Hostel Manager Dies by Suicide

Published

12 hours ago

March 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Hassan: A hostel manager working under the Backward Classes Welfare Department died by suicide in Channarayapatna of Hassan district.

The deceased has been identified as Lokesh (45). He had been serving as a warden for two hostels in Guddenahalli, Hassan, and was recently promoted as a hostel manager a few days ago. Following the promotion, he was posted as the manager of the BCM hostel in Channarayapatna.

According to reports, Lokesh allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself at his residence on Saturday night.

The exact reason for his suicide is not yet known. Local police visited the spot, conducted a preliminary inspection, and have begun an investigation into the incident.