Lost in Sikkim: The Honeymoon Tragedy That Shattered Two Families and Left a Nation Waiting

A Honeymoon That Turned into a Nightmare

It was meant to be a new beginning—two souls, newly united, setting off on a honeymoon adventure in the breathtaking hills of Sikkim. But for Kaushalendra Pratap and Ankita, joy turned to terror in a heartbeat. Eleven days have passed since they vanished without a trace, leaving their families clinging to hope and a nation gripped by the chilling mystery of their disappearance.

This is the story of love, loss, and the unrelenting search for answers in the face of nature’s fury and human helplessness.

The Perfect Match

Kaushalendra Pratap, the only son of Sher Bahadur Singh, hailed from Rahati Kar village in Pratapgarh’s Sangeepur police station area. Ankita, his bride, came from Dhangarh Sarai Shivalah village in Patti Kotwali, a bright and ambitious woman who had made her mark as the head of the medicine store at Lucknow’s prestigious Medanta Hospital.

Their wedding, held on May 5, 2025, was a celebration of hope. Ankita’s family—her two sisters and a younger brother—watched with pride as she began her new life. Kaushalendra, preparing for India’s grueling civil service exams, was the apple of his parents’ eyes. After the ceremonies, on May 9, Ankita arrived at her new home, ready to build a future with her husband.

The Journey to Sikkim

On May 24, the couple set out for Sikkim, a land famed for its serene beauty and lush mountains. It was a dream destination, a place where newlyweds could lose themselves in the magic of the Himalayas. They planned to explore the region, make memories, and return to Pratapgarh with stories of adventure.

But fate had other plans.

The Fateful Night: Disaster Strikes

The couple’s last known destination was Chungthang in Sikkim’s Mangan district. On the night of May 29, they boarded a vehicle bound for Gangtok along with eight other tourists and a driver—a total of eleven souls. The weather was turning foul. Rain lashed the mountains as darkness fell, but the group pressed on, eager to reach their destination.

Then, disaster struck.

As the clock neared 9:00 PM, torrential rain battered the winding roads. The vehicle, heavy with passengers and hope, skidded out of control. In a matter of seconds, it plunged nearly 1,000 feet down into the raging Teesta River below—a nightmare come to life, witnessed only by the silent mountains and the roaring water.

The Aftermath: Panic, Desperation, and a Race Against Time

Local villagers rushed to the scene, their hearts pounding as they called the police. Rescue teams arrived, braving the storm and the treacherous terrain. But it was already too late for some. One passenger’s body was recovered from the river, two others were found injured. The remaining eight—Kaushalendra, Ankita, and six others—had vanished without a trace.

For the families, the world stopped. Phones rang endlessly, but there was only silence on the other end. The last contact with Ankita had been at 8:00 AM that morning—she had told her mother, Sheela, that they were heading out for sightseeing. Kaushalendra had reassured his parents that the weather was bad, but everything else was fine.

After that, nothing.

The Agony of Waiting

As the hours turned into days, and days into an agonizing week, hope began to fray. Kaushalendra’s father, Sher Bahadur Singh, rushed to Sikkim with six relatives. He refused to leave until he could bring his son and daughter-in-law home. His voice, cracking with pain, was broadcast across the nation:
“I beg you, please speed up the rescue operations. I will not return home without my children.”

The words echoed across the hills, a father’s plea lost in the vastness of the mountains.

The Search: Nature’s Relentless Challenge

The rescue teams—local police, the army, and disaster response units—battled against impossible odds. The Teesta River, swollen and furious, swallowed everything in its path. The vehicle was believed to be trapped in the riverbed’s debris, unreachable and invisible.

From the accident site, authorities recovered ten mobile phones and other belongings. None belonged to Kaushalendra or Ankita. Each day, the families waited for news—any news. The weather refused to cooperate, with heavy rains hampering search efforts and threatening to erase the last traces of the missing.

The SP of Mangan district, Sonam Dechu Bhutia, told reporters,
“The vehicle is trapped in the debris under the river. We haven’t been able to retrieve it. No bodies have been found. The rescue team is on site, but the weather is making things very difficult.”

The Human Toll: Families in Limbo

Back home in Pratapgarh and Patti, two families lived in suspended animation. Ankita’s mother, Sheela, haunted by her last conversation with her daughter, could barely speak. Kaushalendra’s parents, surrounded by relatives and neighbors, clung to every rumor and update, refusing to believe their only child could simply vanish.

The villagers kept vigil, praying for a miracle. Every time the phone rang, hearts skipped a beat. But the news was always the same: nothing. No sign, no clue, no closure.

The Unforgiving River: Nature’s Indifference

The Teesta River, beautiful and deadly, became a symbol of the family’s torment. Its waters, once a source of life, now held secrets that refused to surface. The mountains, witnesses to the tragedy, stood silent and unmoved.

The rescue teams worked day and night, risking their own lives. But the river was merciless, its currents too strong, its depths too dark. The hope of finding survivors faded with each passing hour.

The Nation Watches: A Story That Gripped Millions

As the search dragged on, the story captured the nation’s attention. Social media was flooded with prayers, appeals, and demands for action. News channels ran round-the-clock coverage, replaying the couple’s wedding photos and interviews with heartbroken parents.

How could a couple disappear so completely in the age of GPS and smartphones? Why had the rescue taken so long? Was this a failure of the system, or simply the cruelty of fate?

Theories and Rumors: Whispers in the Dark

With no clear answers, rumors began to swirl. Some speculated that the couple might have survived and were hiding, perhaps injured and unable to call for help. Others whispered about foul play, or questioned whether the vehicle had been swept further downstream.

Every theory brought new pain to the families, who clung to hope even as reality grew colder.

The Emotional Toll: A Father’s Vow

Sher Bahadur Singh’s determination became the emotional core of the tragedy. His refusal to leave Sikkim until he found his son and daughter-in-law became a symbol of parental love and desperation.

“I will not go home without them,” he repeated to every reporter, his eyes hollow from sleepless nights. “My son is my only child. My daughter-in-law had just become a part of our family. I cannot leave them here.”

His words broke hearts across India, a reminder of the human cost behind every headline.

The Rescue Continues: Hope Against Hope

Even as the days stretched into weeks, the rescue teams refused to give up. Divers combed the river, helicopters scanned the valley, and local volunteers scoured the banks for any sign of life or death.

The authorities promised to continue the search until every missing person was found. But with each passing day, the odds grew longer, and the families’ agony deepened.

The Unanswered Questions

Why did it take so long for the rescue teams to reach the vehicle?
Could anything have been done to prevent the tragedy?
Will the bodies ever be recovered, or will the river keep its secrets forever?

These questions haunt not just the families, but an entire nation that has watched their pain unfold in real time.

The Power of Love and Loss

The story of Kaushalendra and Ankita is more than a tale of personal tragedy. It is a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how quickly joy can turn to despair. It is a testament to the power of love—a love that refuses to give up, even when hope seems lost.

It is also a story of the limits of human power in the face of nature’s wrath. The mountains and rivers of Sikkim, so beautiful and serene, can turn deadly in an instant, leaving families broken and dreams shattered.

Epilogue: The Waiting Never Ends

As of today, June 2025, Kaushalendra and Ankita remain missing. Their families wait by the phone, haunted by memories and what-ifs. The rescue teams continue their grim work, hoping for a breakthrough. The nation watches, prays, and wonders: will this story have an ending, or will it become yet another unsolved mystery, lost in the mists of the Himalayas?

For now, all that remains is the hope that somewhere, somehow, the mountains will give up their secret, and two families will finally find peace.