Kin of 49 Tamils missing in Nepal seek answers from State

CHENNAI: The relatives of 49 people from Tamil Nadu who remain missing since flash floods swept away most of Nepal’s border districts last month staged a protest outside the Secretariat here on Monday, demanding that the government provide details on their whereabouts and expedite search and rescue efforts.

The 49 had travelled through Mahadev Kailash Yatra Agency in Chromepet, and there has been no information about them since the disaster.

Balu, a relative of one of the missing persons, said the families had been waiting for a proper response from the authorities for the past 20 days. Even after DNA samples were collected from relatives, no official announcement has been made so far, he noted.

Balu urged the authorities to expand the search beyond Nepal and look for the missing persons in China as well.

Arundhathi, the wife of a missing pilgrim, said she has not received any information about her husband even after 20 days since he left for Nepal. "I don’t know whether or not I should continue wearing the ‘pottu’. I am waiting for some decision or information," she said, urging the authorities to take immediate action instead of delaying the matter.

The protesting families later met the minister for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare K Thennarasu at the Secretariat. The families said the minister heard their concerns and assured them that efforts were already underway to ascertain the status of the missing persons and that further action will be expedited.

On August 26, an avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods in Nepal, killing over a thousand people and leaving thousands missing, while causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.