Three youths of HP stranded in Kedarnath, evacuated

Shimla, July 20 – Three youths belonging to Himachal Pradesh were stranded at Kedarnath after capsizing a bridge connecting Kedarnath Dham was rescued yesterday. The father of one of the missing youths told UNI on the phone.
Hiralal Raghuvanshi, the father of stranded youth Lucky Raghuvanshi, who belonged to Chanavag gram Panchayat, informed that he got a call from his son this morning that after receding the water level on the spot, the three managed to cross over the collapsed bridge.
He said that one of the three youths reported missing was also traced out, and three safely crossed the inflated river and were reached at Dehradun, the capital town of Uttrakhand.
He said that after receiving calls from his son, he sought assistance from the state authority to educate them. He said that among the safely rescued pilgrims who were stranded at the collapsed bridge were his son Lucky Raghuvanshi, belonging to Chanavag Panchayat of Sunni, Shalaghat of Dhami of Shimla district, and Arki of Solan district.
He informed that three youths had left for Kedarnath on July 16. While coming back after visiting Kedarnath Dham, the bridge broke due to heavy rain.
He also said that due to the collapse of the bridge, a group of about 25 pilgrims got stuck while coming back from Kedarnath.
These three youths went back to the tent about 4 kilometres up towards the halt. Where the youths found themselves, there was no arrangement to stay and eat. A youth who was reported to be a resident of Shalaghat, Arki, went to a search and rescue camp but did not return, but he was later traced by them.
They were forced to return to stay at the Kedarnath temple, about five kilometers above the camp. The youths stayed at the Kedarnath temple alone without anything to eat but came down safely this morning with receding water levels.