Kohima: A domestic tourist from Tripura who had gone missing in Nagaland’s Dzükou Valley earlier this year has been found dead on Friday night.
Speaking to EastMojo, Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) president Zasitsolie Beio confirmed that the body of Pranab Das was recovered by firefighters engaged in battling the ongoing Dzükou fire.
The deceased was found above a cave near Jakhama camp, in an area not commonly used by trekkers.
Pranab Das, son of Bikash Das and a resident of Srinagar district in West Tripura, had been missing since January 4, 2026. According to SAYO, the incident was formally reported to the organisation on January 13, following which an extensive search operation was launched.
Preliminary verification indicated that Das was last recorded at the Dzükou ticketing counter in Viswema on January 4, confirming his entry towards Dzükou Valley. However, there was no official record of his arrival at the Dzükou Valley base camp.
In response, SAYO coordinated a large-scale joint search and rescue operation involving more than 200 volunteers. Personnel from South Police Station and Khuzama Police Station, officials of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), members of the Southern Angami Tour Guide Council (SATGC), and volunteers from several Southern Angami villages took part in the effort.
Search teams combed all major trekking routes leading to Dzükou Valley and carried out extensive ground searches across the valley. The operation was further strengthened through drone-assisted searches with technical support from experts. Das’s father, uncle, and brother also joined the search operation between January 13 and January 16.
Despite sustained efforts over several days, no leads were initially found and the search operation was called off on January 17.
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