Archive · 17 Jan 2026
Two Kerala Tourists Drown in Sela Lake
Two young men from Kerala, Binu and Madhav, went to visit a beautiful but very cold lake called Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh.
One of their friends slipped into the icy water, and Binu and Madhav tried to save him.
Sadly, all three got pulled into the water.
The local government had already warned people not to go near the frozen lakes because the ice can break easily.
The police and rescue teams worked hard and found both bodies by Saturday morning.
The lake is very high up in the mountains, and the ice is not safe to walk on.
Two tourists from Kerala, Binu Prakas (26) and Madhav M. (23), drowned in Sela Lake, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh.
The incident occurred in the afternoon when the frozen surface of the lake cracked as they ventured onto it.
Both bodies were recovered by Saturday morning after a joint rescue operation involving multiple agencies.
The district administration had issued an advisory in December warning tourists about the dangers of frozen water bodies.
A case of unnatural death has been registered by Tawang police.
- Who
- Two tourists from Kerala, Binu Prakas (26) and Madhav M. (23)
- What
- Drowned in Sela Lake after the frozen surface cracked
- When
- January 16, 2024, in the afternoon
- Where
- Sela Lake, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Why
- Attempted to rescue a group member who slipped into the frozen lake
Tourist Safety
Adventure Tourism
Safety Measures
Tourist Safety
The district administration had issued an advisory warning tourists about the dangers of frozen water bodies.
Adventure Tourism
Tourists should be aware of the risks and take necessary precautions when visiting high-altitude lakes.
- Victims
- Binu Prakas (26) and Madhav M. (23)
- Location
- Sela Lake, Tawang district, Arunachal Pradesh
- Incident Time
- Afternoon of January 16, 2024
- Rescue Operation
- Involved district police, State Disaster Response Force, 24 Jat Regiment of the Indian Army, Sashastra Seema Bal, and Indo Tibetan Border Police
- Body Recovery
- Both bodies recovered by Saturday morning
- Altitude of Sela Lake
- Over 13,000 feet
- Advisory Issued
- December 2023
Sources
Two Kerala tourists drown after slipping into frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh
1 Tourist Dead, Another Missing After Slipping Into Frozen Arunachal Lake
Arunachal Pradesh: Two Kerala Tourists Drown in Sela Lake
Two Kerala Tourists Drown After Slipping into Frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh, One Rescued - Scary Visuals
Two Kerala tourists drown after frozen Sela Lake surface gives way in Arunachal’s Tawang district
Tragedy at Sela Lake: Two Kerala Tourists Lose Lives After Falling Through Frozen Surface
Arunachal: Body of second Kerala tourist recovered from frozen Sela Lake
Ice gives way at Arunachal’s Sela Lake, two Kerala tourists drown
