Bargarh: Seventeen pilgrims from Chhattisgarh who had been stranded for over 15 hours in Odisha’s remote Gandhamardan hill range near the Kapildhara waterfall in Paikmal area of Bargarh district, were successfully rescued by a team sent by the administration.
As per sources, the devotees, including elderly men and women, had arrived in Odisha on Wednesday for darshan at the sacred shrine of Nrusinghanath and Harishankar. While trekking from Nrusinghanath Temple to Harishankar Peetha in Balangir, the group members lost their way due to darkness amid heavy rainfall. Unable to trace their return path, they remained stranded on a forested plateau high up the hills.
At around 8 PM, the group managed to contact the local administration through a toll-free emergency number. In response, a 40-member rescue team consisting of forest personnel, police, and temple officials initiated a search that continued through the night across dense forest terrain.
Officials said a distress call was received through the 112 toll-free emergency number stating that 17 pilgrims from Chhattisgarh had lost their way while traveling on foot towards Harishankar Temple in Balangir.
Acting swiftly on the information, rescue operation was launched without delay and a DVF team was immediately despatched. The DVF team promptly reached the area and launched a rescue operation.
Finally, all 17 pilgrims were found near a plateau above Kapildhara Waterfall, where they had taken shelter. They were safely escorted down and returned to the Nrusinghanath premises by Thursday morning, said officials.
According to Executive Officer of the temple administration, Purushottam Pradhan, all the rescued devotees were safe and in good condition. Arrangements were made for food and prasad at the temple premises for them.
