According to the Lahaul-Spiti police and rescue officials, Malra’s rented motorcycle plunged off the Darcha-Shinku La road near Sumdo Mod 3 after an apparent accident. (Express Photo)
On the afternoon of July 19, Anil Malra was riding one of the most remote mountain roads in the Himalayas, making his way from Ladakh’s Padum towards Leh through the stark, high-altitude landscape of Lahaul-Spiti in Himachal Pradesh.
A few hours later, he vanished. His motorcycle was found mangled, and his helmet and riding gear were recovered from the mountainside.
Nearly two weeks on, rescuers are still searching.
Malra, a resident of Hyderabad, arrived in Himachal Pradesh in June and began his motorbike expedition from Bhuntar in Kullu district on July 16.
Officials said Malra’s rented motorcycle plunged off the Darcha-Shinku La road near Sumdo Mod 3 after an apparent accident.
According to the Lahaul-Spiti police and rescue officials, Malra’s rented motorcycle plunged off the Darcha-Shinku La road near Sumdo Mod 3 after an apparent accident. That stream feeds the Bhaga River, which joins the Chandra at Tandi to become the Chenab.
“The search operation is continuing. It is too early to reach any conclusion. The motorcycle, helmet and some safety gear belonging to the victim have been recovered, but the rider is still missing. The recovered articles were identified by Anil Malra’s family members,” an official involved in the rescue operation said.
‘Only silence’
For Malra’s wife, Sumita Sharma, who has spent the past two weeks following the rescue operation, the nightmare began with an unanswered phone call.
She told The Indian Express she last spoke to her husband on the afternoon of July 19. She said Malra, an experienced adventure motorcyclist, recently quit his job as a biomedical engineer to pursue the passion of long-distance rides through some of India’s toughest terrain.
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“This time, he began his motorcycle expedition from Bhuntar in Kullu. He was travelling towards Leh on July 19. He had rented the motorcycle and safety gear, including a riding jacket, from Bhuntar. He told me that he was travelling through the Lahaul Valley on the Darcha-Shinku La road after leaving Padum in Zanskar,” she said.
A few hours later, around 4 pm, she called again. His phone was switched off. “I kept trying throughout the evening. The next morning, I called repeatedly, hoping he would answer, but there was only silence,” she said.
As the hours stretched into a day, panic replaced hope.
An appeal for help
Sharma contacted police stations in Keylong and Padum the next day. “The police informed me that my husband had met with an accident near Darcha and the accident had been witnessed by some eyewitnesses,” she said.
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She said Malra had begun this expedition from Bhuntar in the Kullu district on July 16 after renting a motorcycle and riding gear. Though he had completed several solo rides across Himachal Pradesh before, this journey was different.
As the search operation continues, she has appealed to people for any clues or information about her husband.
For the past two weeks, Sumita and her brother, Varun Sharma, have been moving between Lahaul-Spiti and Manali, following every development in the search operation.
Malra and Sumita got married in 2011 in Dharamshala, Kangra district.
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Speaking about her family’s connection with Himachal Pradesh, she said, “My father belonged to Hamirpur district, but I was brought up in Mumbai and never lived in Himachal for long. My husband had a special bond with Himachal Pradesh for reasons I could never fully understand.”
Drones, rescue teams
Meanwhile, the search, involving the district police, Home Guard volunteers, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel, and locals, has expanded across one of the Himalayas’ most unforgiving landscapes.
The police have deployed drones to scan steep gorges and riverbanks. Rescue teams continue to comb stretches of the mountain stream and the Bhaga River.
“The search is continuing. There is a witness who reportedly saw the victim and his motorcycle rolling down the mountainside towards the stream,” a senior officer said.
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But rescuers acknowledge the grim challenge before them. Many believe the torrent may have swept Malra downstream into the Bhaga, eventually carrying him towards the Tandi confluence, where the Bhaga and Chandra rivers merge to form the mighty Chenab.
Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.
Professional Background
Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.
Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.
Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:
1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.
2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).
3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)
4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)
Legal & Agricultural Affairs
"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.
"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.
3. Governance & Environment
"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.
"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.
Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:
crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)
Signature Beats
Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.
X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar
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Officials said Malra’s rented motorcycle plunged off the Darcha-Shinku La road near Sumdo Mod 3 after an apparent accident.
