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Many Rajasthani Pilgrims Still Missing in Uttarakhand

ALWAR/JAIPUR, June 25, 2013: Amid reports of rescue of pilgrims stranded in various parts of Uttarakhand, many in the state are still awaiting the arrival of their near and dear ones. Some are camping at Dehradun and are leaving no stone unturned to get a word on their missing relatives while some are visiting bus stands and railway stations to check if those arriving from Uttarakhand are their kin.

At least 25 people who were in a group of 57 from Rupwas village in Bharatpur district are still missing. They had reached Kedarnath on June 8. The 25 missing include 20 from a single family. Likewise in Jaipur, at least 50 people have contacted city police and informed about nearly 100 missing relatives.

The anxious relatives had even pasted pictures of their missing ones at various places in Uttarakhand while some are calling up in helpline numbers.

Shravan Kumar Raghuvanshi, whose brother, sister-in-law and 18 other relatives are missing, is a worried man. He had sent his younger brother to Dehradun who got posters of the missing persons of this group.

"We have pasted their pictures and cell numbers on which a person after finding them can call. It is said that local police and civil administration is not cooperating us," Raghuvanshi told TOI over phone on Monday after he returned from Dehradun.

He said that earlier he had even met the district administration and informed that 20 members of his family are missing.

"They had reached Kedarnath on June 16 and spoke to us over phone. However, thereafter we are not been able to contact them. Though we are reading news reports of the safe arrivals of people to their respective places, our family members are untraceable," Raghuvanshi said after returning from Dehradun.

Likewise a group of 10 pilgrims are missing from Alwar. Their relatives are glued to television sets and are seen asking people returning from Uttarakhand if their relatives were spotted by them.

Suresh Khandelwal along with his wife and eight other relatives had gone to Uttarakhand for char dham yatra.

"They were in Kedarnath on June 16 and since then we are not been able to speak to them. I have called up helpline numbers but there has been no intimation," said Mohit Khandelwal.

Nemi Chand, who is office secretary of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) here is missing along with eight others family members.

"Yes, he is missing with his family comprising eight members. Efforts are on to find him," said Archana Sharma, spokesperson, Pradesh Congress Committee.

Source: The Times of India, DT. June 25, 2013.

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