A multi-agency search for a 24-year-old trekker from Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar, who went missing while camping on a meadow trek in Uttarkashi, entered its fifth day on Wednesday.Searches were being carried out along the trekking route. (Sourced)Officials said Babita Pandey, an MBA student, and her two friends were camping on the Dayara Bugyal trek route when she disappeared around midnight on May 29.Uttarkashi district magistrate Prashant Arya said the Pandey’s friends informed authorities about her disappearance on May 30 after initially searching for her themselves. “They told us that she stepped out of the tent around midnight and did not return. When they woke up the next morning and could not locate her, they searched the area before reporting the matter to the police on May 30.”Over 150 personnel from the Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, police, forest department, revenue, and disaster management department teams were deployed for the search operation. Residents familiar with the terrain are also assisting them. “Sniffer dogs and drones have also been deployed in the search operation,” said Arya.He said that searches are being carried out along the trekking route and other probable locations despite difficult terrain and challenging weather conditions. “A six-member specialised search team has also been constituted to intensify the operation,” Arya said.Officials said the special team is focusing on searching nearby lakes, water bodies, and other inaccessible locations, but there are no clues regarding the Pandey’s whereabouts.Pandey’s family has raised suspicions regarding the role of her two friends. Based on the family’s complaint, police registered a case against Harman Pal and Harman Preet under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s Section 140(3), which relates to kidnapping or abducting with intent to secretly and wrongfully confine a person.