WATCH | Loyal till the end: Pitbull guards teen’s body for four days in Himachal snow

A four-day-long rescue mission in the snowbound mountains of Himachal Pradesh ended in tragedy on Monday (January 26), as authorities recovered the bodies of two cousins who had gone missing in the Bharmour region of Chamba district. Amid the sadness, a touching story of faithfulness has come out. Viksit Rana’s pet pitbull was discovered alive, steadfastly guarding the body of 13-year-old Piyush Kumar in sub-zero conditions.

Piyush and 19-year-old Viksit had set out on January 22 toward the Bharmani Mata Temple to shoot videos when an intense snowstorm engulfed the area. Communication with their families soon broke down, triggering a large-scale search operation. Despite brutal weather, deep snow, and dangerous high-altitude terrain, teams from the State Disaster Response Force, supported by the Indian Army and Air Force helicopters, continued the search. Mobile contact was briefly established with one of the teenagers on January 23, but the signal quickly dropped, offering no clear location.

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Initial aerial surveillance using helicopters and drones on January 25 failed to locate the missing boys. The next day, SDRF teams regrouped, dividing into air and ground units. Five rescuers and local guides were dropped near the Chutadiya peak, while others trekked on foot through snow-covered slopes.

At around 9:30 am on Monday, the team spotted tents in the area. The first body was recovered by 10 am and airlifted to the Chaurasi temple helipad. The second was found later in the afternoon at 1:35 pm. Throughout the ordeal, the pitbull—belonging to Viksit—had stayed beside Piyush’s body for nearly 96 hours, without food or water, buried under heavy snow. Bharmour MLA Janak Raj confirmed the dog’s loyalty, noting it never left the child’s side.

Understanding the emotional bond, rescuers ensured the dog was evacuated along with the victims. The animal has since been safely returned to Viksit’s family. The SDRF confirmed the operation concluded on Monday afternoon, and the bodies were handed over to the families for the last rites. The local administration has been directed to provide immediate assistance to the grieving families.