Two search teams of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Uttarakhand police, sent to look for five dead bodies on the Harsil-Mana trek route in the high-altitude Himalayas, returned on Thursday with one body.

The search operation had to be cut short following heavy rainfall in the area. One of the two teams, which started its trek from Chamoli district, was caught in heavy snowfall above 15,000 feet, 15 km away from Gastoli. The 34-member team, including 24 porters and five persons each from ITBP and Uttarakhand Police, started its trek back on Wednesday and reached Badrinath on Thursday.

The search parties were dispatched following report of five highly decomposed bodies, including one of a foreign tourist, lying in the high altitude area bordering Tibet. The bodies were reportedly discovered by a mountaineering expedition a fortnight ago. The mountaineers from Lucknow had informed the Army officials posted in the area that they noticed five decomposed bodies at Kalandi and between Arbatal and Arbanala.

Since the bodies were seen on the border of Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts, another 37-member team, led by Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Manoj Pandey, was sent from Uttarkashi. However, the Uttarkashi district administration asked its search party to abandon the trek and return in view of the snowfall. While 25 porters of the team had reached Nandanvan, the other officers could only reach up to Bhojwasa.