New Delhi, August 27: A devastating disaster in Nepal has left several Indian pilgrims stranded during their journey to Kailash Mansarovar. Among those missing are 68-year-old Anita Das from West Bengal and 63-year-old Ranjit Halder, both of whom were traveling near the Tibet-Nepal border.
The family of Devika Adhikari from Bhopal has reported that 29 of their members are trapped in the floods. In a distressing last phone call, they mentioned being stuck on the roof of a house, with dwindling hopes of rescue. According to the Indian Gorkha Unity Association, approximately 300 to 400 Indian citizens remain trapped in the affected areas.
Anita Das went missing while on her pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar amidst the catastrophic events in Nepal. Her family and local authorities are actively searching for her and confirming her safety.
Nikita Das, a relative of Anita, shared, “Our sister-in-law left for the Mansarovar pilgrimage alone on August 21. She was eager to see Kailash Mansarovar. She traveled by Mithila Express. We spoke to her son on Tuesday, who informed us that they had about 3-4 hours left to reach their destination, but the incident occurred at 10 PM. We have tried to contact her, but her phone is switched off. The company she traveled with confirmed that their team was at the location until 8 AM on Wednesday. The police visited our home and provided a contact number, asking us to inform them if we receive any updates.”
Nirmal Indu Das added, “The police came to our house on Thursday morning to inform us that Anita Das is missing. When we spoke on Wednesday morning, they mentioned that their team was stationed near the Tibet border. After that, we lost all contact. She traveled alone through a tour company.”
Meanwhile, Ranjit Halder’s daughter, Sunanda, reported that her father has been missing since the incident involving a tourist group in Nepal. She appealed to the government for a swift rescue, stating, “My father is missing. We lost contact since Wednesday morning. We learned about the situation in the afternoon through the news. After realizing the gravity of the situation, we tried to reach out to him, but we have no information.”
She further expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the Nepalese government. “The helpline numbers we contacted only stated that rescue operations are ongoing, and some people are being found in shelters, but they are not providing any identities. I urge the government to expedite the rescue operations and save everyone.”
Devika Adhikari’s family has also been unable to reach four of their members: Krishna Khanal, Radhika Khanal, Ramchandra Khanal, and Bhawati Khanal. Devika mentioned, “We only received a message that they were climbing the mountains to save themselves. They found a house and communicated that they were not safe. They are on a roof, and the house is partially submerged. Their survival is now uncertain. We have not been able to communicate with the government.”
Lokmani reported, “I learned in the evening that Devika Adhikari’s family faced a similar situation. Upon arriving here, I found out that 28-29 people from their group were present. They were told to evacuate due to flooding while eating, and they fled to higher ground, thinking they would be safe, but the water reached them.”
Dhruv Pradhan, a member of the Indian Gorkha Unity Association, commented on the crisis and the presence of stranded Indian citizens. “This is a natural disaster. What happened was sudden. Those near the main incident site had no chance to be alerted. There has been significant loss of life and property. I have spoken to some relatives there. It is estimated that 300-400 Indian citizens are also stranded. The exact figures are hard to determine, but the damage is extensive.”
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