Tripura tourist missing in Nagaland found dead

A tourist from Tripura, who went missing in Nagaland’s Dzükou Valley on January 4, was found dead on Friday (February 6, 2026) night, officials said.

Firefighters combating the ongoing wildfire in Dzükou Valley, a popular trekking destination straddling Manipur and Nagaland, found the body of Pranab Das, a resident of West Tripura district.

Zasitolie Beio, the president of Southern Angami Youth Organisation, said the body was recovered from a location above a cave near Jakhama camp, an area not typically used by trekkers. The group monitors tourist activities in the area.

The organisation’s members began an investigation after the missing person case was reported on January 13. They found that Das reported at the Dzükou ticketing counter in Viswema on January 4, confirming that he took the trekking route but did not reach the Dzükou Valley base camp.

Members of the group subsequently launched a search-and-rescue operation along with the local police, Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority personnel, members of the Southern Angami Tour Guide Council, and villagers from the area.

The missing man’s father, brother, and uncle joined the search from January 13 to 16, and the operation was called off on January 17, after covering all known and used routes.

Firefighters came into the picture in the last week of January when a wildfire broke out. The valley is prone to wildfires, and large swathes are affected almost every year.