A newly married couple from Uttar Pradesh is missing after a tragic accident in Sikkim. Kaushalendra Pratap Singh and Ankita Singh, who were married on May 5th, 2025, embarked on their honeymoon to Sikkim on May 24th. Their vacation took a devastating turn on the evening of May 29th when the car they were traveling in plunged approximately 1,000 feet into the Teesta River.
The incident occurred in the Mangan district, near Munsithang along the Lachen-Lachung highway, an area that has been affected by recent landslides. The vehicle, a shared cab, was carrying 11 tourists in total, including individuals from Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Tripura. According to reports, the car lost control on the rain-soaked mountain road around 9 pm.
Tragically, the driver, Passang Denu Sherpa, died at the scene. Two other passengers, Swayam Supratim Nayak and Sairaj Jena from Odisha, were rescued with critical injuries. However, eight people remain missing, including Kaushalendra and Ankita Singh. Also among the missing is Itishree Jena, a BJP Mahila Morcha secretary from Odisha, along with five members of her family.
Rescue operations were immediately launched, but they have been severely hampered by continuous rainfall, rising water levels, and strong currents in the Teesta River. The challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions have made the search efforts incredibly difficult. According to Sikkim SP Sonam Detchu Bhutia, the vehicle is believed to be trapped under debris in the river. Teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are involved in the ongoing search.
Kaushalendra's father, Sher Bahadur Singh, has traveled to Sikkim and is coordinating with local authorities and rescue personnel. He has made a heartfelt appeal to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, urging him to request the Sikkim government to expedite the search and rescue operations. Sher Bahadur Singh has vowed not to return home until his son and daughter-in-law are found.
Authorities have recovered some personal items from the riverbank near the accident site, including four identity cards and six mobile phones. However, as of now, none of these items have been confirmed to belong to Kaushalendra and Ankita.
The news of the accident has cast a pall of grief over the couple's families in Pratapgarh. Kaushalendra, an only child, was preparing for the civil services exam in Delhi, while Ankita worked in the medicine department at Medanta Hospital in Lucknow. Their honeymoon plans were finalized spontaneously after their waitlisted train tickets were confirmed just days before their trip. Kaushalendra's mother, Baby Singh, tearfully recalled her last conversation with the couple, remembering their excitement and happiness.
This unfortunate incident is one of two honeymoon tragedies to strike Northeast India recently. Another couple from Indore disappeared in Meghalaya, further compounding the sense of sorrow.
