By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
A 120-foot modular bridge on the Malari-Niti National Highway was swept away on Monday evening after heavy rainfall upstream triggered a sudden surge in the Tamak stream, officials said.
Pankaj Kumar, a BRO havildar, also went missing as his bolero vehicle was caught in the flash floods of Tamak stream, they said.
The incident occurred at around 5:30 pm near Tamak Nala on the route to Niti Pass, temporarily cutting off road connectivity to more than a dozen border villages in the Niti Valley, including Malari, Gamshali and Niti.
The Bolero vehicle was caught in the flash flood when the water level suddenly rose. Havildar Pankaj Kumar, who was travelling in the vehicle along with other passengers, reportedly took quick and decisive action that helped save the lives of his fellow passengers. However, he was swept away by the strong current.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and local rescue agencies have been mobilised for search and rescue operations. An evening search was carried out, but Havildar Pankaj Kumar could not be located.
Officials said fresh search and rescue operations will resume at first light on Tuesday, with additional personnel and equipment being deployed.
The bridge washout has disrupted a crucial road link to the strategically important Niti Valley. Authorities are assessing the damage and working to restore connectivity as soon as weather and ground conditions improve, the officials added.