A 42-year-old doctor from Sassoon General Hospital in Pune died due to breathing difficulties while trekking in the Buran Ghati region of Himachal Pradesh, an official said on Wednesday.

Dr Nitin Abhivant, Head of the Psychiatry Department at the government-run hospital, was on an expedition with his friends from Mumbai when the incident occurred on Monday.

"Dr Abhivant, an avid trekker, left for Himachal Pradesh on June 7 along with his college friends. The group began the trek on Monday morning, but within half an hour, he started experiencing severe breathlessness. His doctor friends attempted to revive him and rushed him to the base camp, but he could not be saved," a hospital official said.

The official added that Dr Abhivant was an experienced trekker and had earlier undertaken several treks in the Sahyadri ranges.

He is survived by his parents, brother, wife, and an eight-year-old son.