New Delhi, May 2: In a landmark achievement, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) successfully scaled Mt. Makalu (8,485 m), the world's fifth highest peak, on April 19, marking the first-ever ascent of the peak by any Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), the force said on Friday.

The summit was part of ITBP's historic International Mountaineering Expedition to Mt. Makalu and Mt. Annapurna (8,091 m), flagged off from ITBP Headquarters in New Delhi on March 21. This dual-peak mission, a first in the force's history, showcased ITBP's enduring legacy in high-altitude operations.

Led by Deputy Commandant Anoop Kumar Negi, with Deputy Commandant Nihas Suresh as deputy leader, the 12-member expedition team was split into two groups of six. The Makalu group recorded an 83 per cent summit success rate, with five climbers reaching the peak around 08:15 hrs on April 19. The successful summiteers included Assistant Commandant Sanjay Kumar, Head Constable (HC) Sonam Stobdan, HC Pradeep Panwar, HC Bahadur Chand, and Constable Vimal Kumar.

Meanwhile, the Annapurna team battled extreme conditions, including blizzards and whiteouts, reaching an altitude of 7,940 meters--just 150 meters shy of the summit--before retreating safely at 14:45 hrs on the same day.

In line with its "Clean Himalaya - Save Glacier" campaign, the expedition collected 150 kg of non-biodegradable waste from high-altitude camps, reinforcing ITBP's environmental commitment.

With the successful ascent of Mt. Makalu, the ITBP has now scaled six of the world's 14 eight-thousanders, including Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Manaslu. The force has conquered a total of 229 peaks to date, underscoring its unmatched expertise and resilience in some of the harshest terrains on earth.

(ANI)

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