Snowstorm near the Badimalika shrine in Nepal: one of the tourists could not be saved
Two Indian travelers set out for the remote Badimalika temple complex in Bajaur district but found themselves stranded due to sudden weather deterioration and heavy snowfall. Realizing that it was impossible to move further, the companions tried to spend the night at a pilgrim shelter in the Triveni Patan area, but later lost contact with each other.
Search and rescue teams Nepal Police and paramilitary units launched an operation with the support of aviation. Sagar Karki was found alive and taken by helicopter to the administrative center Martadi. At the same time, 20-year-old Manish Bohra was found without signs of life; police assume that critical hypothermia and altitude played a fatal role. Due to difficult weather, the evacuation of the body to the district hospital for forensic examination could only be completed the next day.
Context
The Badimalika temple is located at an altitude of about 4,200 meters in the Sudurpaschim province of far western Nepal and is one of the revered Hindu Shaktipitha shrines. The route to the summit passes through the wide high alpine meadows of the Pathan and the Triveni pastures, where the Kshir, Benurudra and Mandakini rivers converge.
This region remains underdeveloped compared to popular treks in the central Himalayas: there is almost no fixed tourist infrastructure or marked trails, and crossings require complete autonomy. The period from April to September is considered safe for hiking, while at other times the plateau experiences sharp frosts and heavy snowfalls.