Uttarkashi (PTI): Ten more bodies of mountaineering trainees were brought to Uttarkashi on Sunday as search and rescue operations continued for the sixth consecutive day at the avalanche site near Draupadi Ka Danda-II peak.

A total of 27 bodies have been retrieved so far out of which 21 have been brought to Uttarkashi to be handed over to their families, the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) said.

Four bodies were brought to Uttarkashi on Friday, seven on Saturday and 10 more on Sunday, it said.

All 21 bodies brought to Uttarkashi have been identified while two mountaineers are still missing, the institute said.

According to the NIM, a group of 29 mountaineers including 27 trainees and two instructors who were part of an advanced training course at the institute went missing when the avalanche struck at a height of 17,000 feet on October 4 while they were returning from the summit.

Manual search and rescue operations are in progress at the disaster site, it said.

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New Delhi (PTI): As polling began in 49 constituencies for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said it has become clear that people have stood up to protect the Constitution and democracy and the country is witnessing a storm of change.

Voting is being held in 49 constituencies in six states and two union territories in the fifth phase, which will decide the electoral fate of several prominent leaders like Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "Today is the fifth phase of voting! In the first four phases itself, it has become clear that people have stood up to protect the Constitution and democracy and are defeating the BJP."

"This country is fed up with the politics of hatred and is now voting on its own issues. Youths for jobs, farmers for MSP and freedom from debt, women for economic independence and security, and labourers for fair wages.

"The people are fighting this election along with INDIA (bloc) and there is a storm of change in the country," the former Congress president said.

"I am appealing to the entire country, including Amethi and Rae Bareli, come out and vote in large numbers for the prosperity of your families, for your own rights and for the progress of India," Gandhi said.