Sikkim driver drowns

Karna Bahadur Tamang, the driver of the Xylo SUV in which the tourists were travelling, jumped into the stream in an effort to rescue a tourist

Rajeev Ravidas   |   TT  |  Siliguri   |    10.06.22  : Two persons, including a tourist, were swept away by the Naga stream between Mangan and Chungthang in northern Sikkim on Thursday evening.

The tourist is yet to be traced, while the local man’s body was found.

Police sources said a group of four tourists from Bihar was travelling from Gangtok to Lachung in Mangan district when they stopped by at Naga Falls to take pictures. One of the tourists, Uday Kumar Singh, 63, slipped and fell into the stream while taking selfies.

Karna Bahadur Tamang, the driver of the Xylo SUV in which the tourists were travelling, jumped into the stream in an effort to rescue Singh. But he, too, was swept away by heavy currents. His body was later found by a team of rescuers led by Tshering Gyatso Bhutia, the superintendent of police of Mangan district.

However, the tourist is yet to be found.

“We have suspended the search because of poor visibility. Plus, it has been raining very heavily here. I am returning (to Mangan) after making arrangements for the resumption of the search tomorrow (Friday),” the police superintendent told The Telegraph.