Heartbreak in the Hills: Newlywed UP Couple Among 8 Still Missing After Tragic Sikkim Accident
What was meant to be a joyful honeymoon turned into an agonizing wait for two families. Kaushalendra Pratap Singh and Ankita Singh, a newly married couple from Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, have been missing for over two weeks after their vehicle plunged 1,000 feet into the Teesta River in Sikkim.
The couple had tied the knot on May 5 and embarked on their honeymoon on May 24. But just five days into their trip, tragedy struck. On the evening of May 29, while traveling through the landslide-prone Mangan district, their car lost control near Munsithang on the Lachen-Lachung highway and fell into the river below.
They were among 11 people in the vehicle. Sadly, the driver, Passang Denu Sherpa of North Sikkim, died at the scene. Two others, Swayam Supratim Nayak and Sairaj Jena from Odisha, were rescued with injuries. Eight others, including the newlyweds, are still missing.
Kaushalendra’s father, Sher Bahadur Singh, is currently in Sikkim, tirelessly searching for his son and daughter-in-law. In an emotional video appeal, he urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to intervene and request Sikkim authorities to intensify rescue efforts.
“It’s been eight days. We’ve visited the accident site many times. Nothing found so far belongs to my son or daughter-in-law. I won’t go back until I find them,” he said, his voice trembling. “Please pray for their lives.”
The ongoing search operation includes teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Sikkim’s Fire and Emergency Services, Forest and Tourism Departments, local police, and the Travel Agents Association of Sikkim (TAAS). But heavy rains and rough terrain are slowing down the rescue efforts.
Among the other missing are four tourists from Odisha — Ajit Kumar Nayak, Sunita Nayak, Sahil Jena, and Itshiri Jena — and two from Tripura — Debjyoti Joy Dev and Swapnanil Deb.
As families continue to wait for any news, prayers and hopes remain the only thing keeping them going.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
