MANSEHRA: The police and local residents recovered the bodies of three tourists who died after being trapped in heavy snowfall in Kandia valley of Upper Kohistan district on Saturday.

“The bodies of three youngsters, who were trapped because of sudden snowfall in Kandia valley, have been recovered and dispatched to their native area in Kalam,” Arif Khan Yousafzai, deputy commissioner Upper Kohistan, told reporters on Saturday.

The tourists sneaked into Kanida valley, a difficult and high altitude terrain from neighbouring Kalam area of Malakand division some three days ago on a creational tour, but the weather suddenly became rough and snowfall trapped them in the thick forest in the valley.

Mr Yousafzai said that three youngsters, including Aziz Ahmad, Safoor Ahmad and Inam Khan, all residents of Ashuran village of Kalam, had come to Kandia valley, but were trapped in heavy snowfall.

The families of missing tourists had urged the Malakand administration to seek help from Upper Kohistan deputy commissioner for tracing the missing tourists. The deputy commissioner had constituted a team of over 100 rescuers, including police and locals, who traced the bodies.

The district administration shifted the bodies to the police post at Thoti in the Kandia valley.

Also in the day, the body of district education officer, Kolai-Palas, was found in his room.

“The body has been shifted to hospital for autopsy,” district police officer Iftikhar Ahmad told reporters. He said that what caused his death would be cleared after the autopsy. He said that a pistol was found near the body of the district education officer.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2019