Kolkata, 24 October (H.S.) : The death of a 48-year-old tourist from Barasat, North 24 Parganas, in the high-altitude Tumling area has raised serious concerns about tourist safety along the Sandakphu route. This marks the second tourist fatality in the region within a month, prompting local tourism organizations to demand mandatory health check-ups for visitors, akin to the protocols followed for the Amarnath Yatra.

The deceased, identified as Bubai Pal, was traveling with five family members. According to administrative sources, the group reached Manebhanjan directly from New Jalpaiguri (NJP) railway station on October 18. After an overnight stay in Sandakphu on October 19, they proceeded to Tumling on October 20. That night, Pal suddenly developed acute respiratory distress. As his condition rapidly deteriorated, he was rushed first to Manebhanjan and subsequently to the Sukhiapokhri health center, where attending doctors declared him dead.

Darjeeling District Magistrate Harishankar Panicker stated, The body was handed over to the family following the post-mortem examination, and the administration facilitated all necessary arrangements for their return to Barasat. The exact cause of death will be ascertained once the autopsy report is available.

This incident closely follows the death of 28-year-old Priyatosh Adhikari, a resident of Tufanganj in Cooch Behar, who died on September 30 after his oxygen levels plummeted in the Ahal Dara area.

Following these consecutive tragedies, representatives from the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network have highlighted the risks associated with rapid altitude gain. A senior official of the network pointed out that the increasing trend of tourists opting for direct car rides to Sandakphu, rather than trekking, deprives the body of the necessary time to acclimatize to the extreme altitude. However, reports indicate that the 28-year-old victim who died last month had reached the state's highest point by trekking, underscoring the unpredictable nature of high-altitude sickness.

The recent deaths have also exposed glaring infrastructural gaps in the region's emergency healthcare response. Pal's acquaintances alleged that a prompt ambulance service could have potentially saved his life. Tour operators have repeatedly submitted proposals to the administration to mitigate these risks, but complain that no concrete measures have been implemented. A similar lack of emergency transport was highlighted recently when a young woman suffered severe burn injuries during her honeymoon in Sittong, further amplifying demands for dedicated ambulance services in these remote tourist hotspots.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh