Pangong Lake: Tourists' 'Thar' Stunt in Lake Ends With Hefty Rs 2 Lakh Fine!

Planning a trip to a protected area? Better be careful. A group of tourists just found out the hard way after they drove their car into Pangong Lake and were slapped with a massive fine of ₹2 lakh.

Ladakh (June 28): Travelling is a big part of everyone's life these days, and more and more people are hitting the road. But if you're heading out, make sure you know the rules. Messing around in sensitive areas can land you in serious trouble. This is exactly what happened in Ladakh, where four tourists were fined a whopping ₹2 lakh for driving their car into the famous Pangong Lake. The Ladakh Tourism Department has issued a strict warning to all visitors through this action.

Car in the lake stunt, ₹2 lakh fine for four

Four friends were on a road trip to Ladakh. They visited various tourist spots in their Mahindra Thar. It seems they broke almost every rule in the book during their trip. Their biggest mistake was driving their SUV right into Pangong Lake.

This area is an eco-sensitive zone. The lake is known for its beautiful, clean water, and activities like driving cars, playing in the water, or littering are strictly banned. The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 declares this area as an eco-sensitive zone. For their stunt, the four tourists were fined ₹2 lakh.

The tourists, who are from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, and Punjab, had their car seized by Ladakh officials. They were told to pay the fine to get it back. The four wrote an apology letter, paid the ₹2 lakh fine, and were let go with a stern warning before their car was released.

Strict warning for tourists

The incident happened on June 23, when the four tourists broke the rules and drove their car into Pangong Lake. They then posted photos of their stunt on social media. At the same time, patrolling officers received a tip-off about the incident and began checking CCTV footage. The photos had already gone viral on social media, which helped the Ladakh officials track down the tourists and slap them with the fine.

Acting strictly against rising menace of illegal off-roading, including cases of tourists driving cars in the ecologically sensitive lakes and river streams in Ladakh, the Ladakh Administration, on the directions of Lt. Governor Shri VK Saxena, has for the first time, begun… pic.twitter.com/zTr6x8p2TB

— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2026