In a tragic incident on Friday, January 16, 2026, two tourists from Kerala drowned in the treacherous frozen Sela Lake in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district. The victims, identified as Dinu (26) and Mahadev M (24), were part of a seven-member group visiting the high-altitude region. Initial reports suggest the tragedy unfolded when one member of their group slipped into the icy waters. In a desperate attempt to rescue him, Dinu and Mahadev also entered the lake, but were subsequently swept under the fragile frozen surface. The third tourist involved in the rescue managed to escape safely. Upon receiving information around 3 PM, a joint rescue operation was promptly launched by the district police, central forces including the Army and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Despite challenging weather conditions and poor visibility, rescuers successfully recovered Dinu's body. However, the search for Mahadev M had to be suspended due to darkness and harsh conditions, with operations scheduled to resume the following morning (Saturday). Sela Lake, situated at an altitude of over 13,000 feet, is a popular tourist destination but carries significant risks during winter due to extreme cold and unstable ice cover. Local authorities had previously installed warning signboards and issued an advisory in December 2025, cautioning tourists against venturing onto frozen water bodies, emphasizing that the ice might be too unstable to support human weight. The recovered body of Dinu has been moved to Jang Community Health Centre for post-mortem examination.