The Chamoli Police on Sunday issued a safety advisory urging devotees to stay away from the Alaknanda River in Badrinath Dham due to a sudden rise in water levels caused by heavy rainfall.
Taking to social media platform X, the police warned that the river was swelling rapidly due to sudden heavy rainfall. “Important Information. Currently, the weather is unstable. Due to sudden rainfall, the water level of the Alaknanda River in Shri Badrinath Dham is increasing rapidly. Devotees are requested to avoid going near the river. Please be careful. Your safety, our priority," the post read.
The advisory comes days after a tragic helicopter crash in the state, underscoring the need for increased caution during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra.
Earlier, on June 15, a helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation crashed near a forested area of Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot.
The chopper was en route from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi when it went down around 5:30 am, according to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The deceased were identified as Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan (39), resident of Jaipur, Vikram Rawat (47) a Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee representative and resident of Rasi, Vinod Devi (66) of Uttar Pradesh, Trishti Singh (19) of Uttar Pradesh, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) of Gujarat, Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal and Kashi (2) of Maharashtra.
Rescue efforts were swiftly initiated under SDRF Commander Arpan Yadav. The crash site, located in a densely forested and inaccessible area, required a coordinated response from SDRF, NDRF, and local police teams, who worked through challenging weather conditions to retrieve the victims' bodies.
The remains were brought down to the road by SDRF personnel. Meanwhile, members of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) gathered across their offices to mourn the loss of colleague Vikram Rawat. BKTC spokesperson Harish Gaur expressed deep sorrow over Rawat’s death.
In response to the tragedy, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened a virtual high-level meeting with top officials from his residence. The meeting was attended by the State Chief Secretary, Disaster Management Secretary, UCADA CEO, Garhwal Commissioner, and other senior officers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct a detailed probe into the crash. The DGCA further said that, in light of the crash, the frequency of helicopter operations at Char Dham would be reduced as a precautionary measure.
Enhanced surveillance and operational reviews were also carried out by DGCA.
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