By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
From caves to lakes, a massive search operation with help of drones and sniffer dogs is underway in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal hills for a 23-year-old MBA student who mysteriously disappeared from the Alpine meadows of Dayara Bugyal five days ago.
Despite extensive efforts by multiple rescue agencies, there is no trace of the missing trekker Babita Pandey, a resident of Ramnagar area in Nainital district.
“I want my daughter back,” shrieked Anju Pandey, mother of Babita, who is crying inconsolably.
Babita had travelled to Uttarkashi district with two friends — Harmanpal Singh from Udham Singh Nagar district and Harmanpreet Singh from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
According to officials, the trio visited tourist destinations including Harsil and Gangotri before arriving at Raithal village on May 28. CCTV footage reportedly captured Babita with her two companions in the village which is considered as her last confirmed presence there.
The three trekkers began their journey from Raithal to Dayara Bugyal meadows on May 29 and stayed overnight at Goi Base Camp. Babita is believed to have gone missing under mysterious circumstances around midnight from the campsite.
Following reports of her disappearance on May 30, a joint rescue operation involving around 150 personnel from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, forest department and disaster management teams was launched.
Search teams have combed dense forests, lakes, steep slopes, trekking trails and caves within a five-kilometre radius using both manual searches and drones. With no breakthrough so far, rescuers have now turned their attention to a lake located near Goi Camp. An SDRF diving team equipped with specialized underwater search equipment has been deployed to examine the lake.
A case has been registered against Babita’s two companions under Section 140(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint lodged by her family. Both men have been taken into custody and are being questioned.
Police said investigators are examining all possible angles, including personal disputes and other suspicious circumstances. Trek guides and individuals associated with the trekking expedition are also being questioned.
Meanwhile, the investigation has uncovered alleged fraud in the issuance of trekking permits. District Tourism Officer K K Joshi said no valid digital permit for Babita or her companions was found on the official “Explore Uttarkashi” portal.
Officials discovered that the trekking agency involved had allegedly pasted the names of the three trekkers onto an expired physical permit to bypass government regulations and the daily cap of 150 trekkers. The agency’s registration has been suspended.