Living on the edge: Sikkim man left hanging by the cliff for 6 hours

LACHUNG: In a bizarre case in Lachung, North Sikkim, a person in his late 30s was left hanging from a cliff for over 6 hours on Saturday. The person identified as Ujjwal Rai from Jai Gaon, West Bengal was working in a local hotel in Lachung.

“It appears that the person had gone up to the cliff to mend the water pipes, which connected with the hotel downhill in Lachung town. But unfortunately, he fell off the cliff some 100 feet below and got stuck on an even surface, down the cliff. He was there for well over 6 hours, unable to climb uphill,” informed local Lachung resident Thupden Lachungpa.

The troubling scenario somehow attracted Sikkim Police’s attention, with some officials close by to the location, being the first responders. Soon, Lachung SHO DP Limboo and his team reached the spot.

Speaking with EastMojo, Superintendent of Police for North District Ongmu Bhutia stated, “The incident was nothing shy of a Hollywood movie, where our police officials were throwing ropes to the person. He was unable to catch it first, sometimes unable to climb and sometimes the rope fell short. The incident stretched for a few hours until the Indian Army and Indo Tibetan Border Police intervened. There was a rush to lift the person before it got dark, eventually, they succeeded around 5 pm. The person had minor injuries to his arms and legs, with Army’s first aid kit being administered upon him. He later went back to his hotel.”