In a tragic incident on Friday, January 16, 2026, two tourists from Kerala drowned after falling into the frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district. The victims were identified as Dinu (26) and Mahadev (24), who were part of a seven-member tourist group traveling to Tawang. The incident unfolded in the afternoon when one member of their group slipped into the icy water. In a valiant attempt to rescue him, Dinu and Mahadev also entered the lake, but were tragically swept under the fragile ice as it gave way. The initial tourist who fell managed to get out safely. Upon receiving information around 3 PM, a joint rescue operation was launched by district police, central forces, and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Despite challenging weather conditions and poor visibility, rescuers successfully recovered the body of Dinu. However, the search for Mahadev had to be suspended due to darkness and harsh terrain, with efforts scheduled to resume the following morning. Officials confirmed that warning signboards advising tourists not to walk on frozen lakes are installed at Sela Lake and other tourist hotspots. The district administration had also issued an advisory in December, cautioning visitors about the instability of ice on frozen water bodies. The recovered body has been moved to Jang Community Health Centre for a post-mortem examination.