A 28-year-old tourist from Jammu died after being swept away by a sudden surge in a mountain stream while returning from a trekking expedition near Manali. His body was recovered from the banks of the Beas near Vashisht on Sunday following an overnight search operation.

The deceased, Dhananjay Verma, a resident of Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, was leading a group of 10 trekkers in the Shanag and Majhach areas. While descending after completing the trek, the group attempted to cross the Majhach stream when its water level rose suddenly. The strong current swept Verma away before fellow trekkers could rescue him.

On receiving the information, the Manali police rushed to the spot and launched a search operation. Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), based at Solang Nala, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) later joined the operation, which continued through the night.

The search ended on Sunday morning when rescue teams located Verma’s body along the Beas riverbank near Vashisht. His brother, Kanav Verma, who was part of the trekking group, identified the body. With the assistance of the NDRF and SDRF, the body was retrieved from the riverbank.

Manali Deputy Superintendent of Police KD Sharma confirmed the recovery and said the police had initiated legal formalities. “The body has been recovered with the help of NDRF and SDRF teams. After completing the post-mortem examination and other legal procedures, it will be handed over to the family,” he said. The other members of the trekking group are safe.

The incident underscores the dangers posed by sudden surges in mountain streams during the monsoon and the need for trekkers to exercise caution while crossing water channels in hilly terrain.