Shimla/Nirmand: In one of the toughest rescue mission, a 16-member team from the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports, Manali saved over 200 stranded pilgrims on the treacherous route to SriKhand Mahadev in the Kullu District.
Heavy rains and snow had made the trek to Srikhand risky, leaving the pilgrims in a dangerous situation and stranded at the base of 14000 Ft high Srikhand mountain.
Using ropes, crampons, ice axes, and other equipment, the rescue team laid the trek on the steep slopes and snowy terrain to reach the stranded pilgrims.
They even retrieved the bodies of four unfortunate pilgrims from wreckage site of the raging torrents on the way to the Srikhand.
The illfated pilgrims have gone missing soon after the flash foods mayhem in the region. 
The rescue operation was challenging due to the breached and risky trekking path, but the team skilfully crossed raging torrents using ropes. They faced menacing gusty winds right at the top while the team members were laying tents and ropes to rescue the pilgrims. They escorted them back on the steep risky using ropes to scale them down to the safer points.
This daring operation, carried out by the institute team, saved the lives of 200 people who were stranded at an altitude of over 13,000 feet in the Srikhand Mountain region of the lower Himalayas.
The 16 members of the ABVIMAS team who successfully accomplished this challenging task are Jitender, Vinod Kumar Som dutt, Akhil Verma, Jagdish Chand, Yashpal, Lalit, Kamal, Padam Bhakta, Virender, Himal, Tapender, Santosh, Bhim, and Sanjeev.
The pilgrims praised the rescue team for saving their life, Team was deployed from Manali from Parbati Baag the trek to Srikhand on June 9 soon after the news of the missing four pilgrims made headlines..
Avinash Negi, the Director of ABVIMAS Manali and SDM Nirmand Manmohan Singh praised the team for their successful mission, highlighting their efforts in rescuing and bringing back 200 pilgrims from various locations to the base.
Despite harsh conditions, the ABVIMAS team showed exceptional courage and technical expertise, installing equipment at dangerous points to ensure the safe return of stranded pilgrims.
This remarkable work by the ABVIMAS team during the recent SriKhand Mahadev Yatra rescue mission not only saved lives but also demonstrated deep human compassion.
The Kullu district administration had already halted the Yatra for 2023 due to heavy rainfall and had brought back over 2,600 pilgrims from the Sanghgad base camp, ensuring their safe return to their respective destinations across India.
