The Nanda Devi Mystery: A nuclear spy device that suddenly disappeared on Indian peak, the target was…., the device was of…, not China

New Delhi: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and India’s Intelligence Bureau launched a secret operation in 1965 to place a nuclear-powered surveillance device on Nanda Devi to monitor China’s nuclear activity.

The team carried a generator powered by plutonium—5kg of it. Unknown to some of them at the time, it was nearly as radioactive as the material used in Hiroshima. A severe blizzard forced the expedition to retreat, leaving the device behind. When they returned months later, the equipment was gone—most likely carried away by an avalanche.

The experts have issued warnings that if the plutonium container was breached, it could contaminate glaciers feeding into rivers like the Gang. This will lead to a long-term environmental threat.

It is important to note that Nanda Devi is a sacred place and not just a mountain. Locals are of the opinion that it’s the home of Goddess Nanda, and many view the peak as spiritually protected and significant.

A local legend tells of Princess Nanda, who is said to have merged with the mountain to avoid a forced marriage. Her story continues to shape how people see the peak. The sanctuary around Nanda Devi was closed soon after the mission. Some believe the closure was also meant to avoid attention on the missing device.

Decades later, two U.S. laboratories analyzed water and soil samples from the area. One detected traces of plutonium matching the type used in the mission’s generator, but the results were never publicly pursued or acted upon.

In 2018, interest returned when a state minister urged PM Modi to investigate. Since then, with new environmental events nearby, the lost device continues to raise questions.

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