New Delhi, August 27: An NRI couple, Mihir and Kinnari Patel, has gone missing in Nepal following sudden floods while en route to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage. Their family reported that Kinnari had planned to return home for Raksha Bandhan but left for Kailash before doing so. Meanwhile, Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava stated that contact has not yet been established with 288 Indians, including Kailash pilgrims.
After arriving in Kathmandu for the pilgrimage, the couple lost contact with their family amidst the unexpected floods. The family remains hopeful for their safe return. Kinnari’s brother and lawyer, Chirag Patel, mentioned, “What happened is natural. They traveled directly from New Zealand to Kathmandu. They have been living in New Zealand for two years and booked their trip through an agent in Mumbai. Our last communication was with the hotel in Kathmandu, which confirmed they stayed for three days and checked out.”
He added, “When I last spoke to my sister, she said she was coming home for Raksha Bandhan but would go to Kailash first. They left for Kailash on the 21st, were at the hotel on the 23rd, and departed on the morning of the 26th. I could go there too, but there’s no point in risking it amidst nature’s fury. The government has assured that they will try to rescue them as soon as possible.”
In Kathmandu, the Indian Embassy posted on the social media platform X, “Always with Nepal.” Ambassador Naveen Srivastava delivered 10 tons of humanitarian aid materials to Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Khadka Raj Poudel. This assistance will support relief efforts following the devastating floods. India stands firmly with Nepal and is committed to providing all possible help.
Regarding the tragedy in Nepal, Ambassador Srivastava stated, “The embassy has set up a control room with three emergency hotlines that operate 24/7. Approximately 288 Indians are currently uncontactable, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson. This includes some pilgrims who came for the Kailash Mansarovar journey. We have shared the information we gathered with the Nepalese army, which is conducting search and rescue operations. According to our information, 21 individuals from Tamil Nadu were stranded in the area today, and the Nepalese army has safely rescued them.”
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