Mandi: Search Operation for Missing Family Ends After a Month in Sambal Village

Mandi, September 14: A month-long search operation for the missing family in Sambal Village, near Pandoh, has been concluded. Despite efforts by the administration over the past month to locate buried bodies, no trace of the bodies has been found. The decision to halt the search operation was made after obtaining the consent of the family members.

It’s worth noting that on the morning of August 14, a devastating flood due to heavy rains completely submerged Nitesh’s house in Sambal Village. In this tragic incident, Nitesh’s 18-year-old wife Monika, 17-year-old daughter Ravita, and 6-month-old daughter Saniya were buried under the debris. Rachna Devi, the 45-year-old mother of Nitesh, and another 11-year-old sister Gopi were seriously injured. Rachna Devi’s leg was severely injured and had developed an infection, leading to three surgical procedures to amputate her leg from the knee.

Nitesh, who survived the tragedy along with his 15-year-old sister Jahnavi, expressed gratitude for the support from the administration during the past month. He mentioned that extensive efforts were made to locate the bodies, including the use of machinery, but no traces were found. Therefore, with the consent of his family, the search operation has been discontinued.

Nitesh mentioned that he will always regret not being able to have a final farewell for his wife, daughter, and sister. He added that he will now arrange a prayer ceremony in Haridwar for the eternal peace of their souls.

Deputy Commissioner of Mandi, Arindam Choudhury, informed that with the family’s consent, the search operation has been terminated. Compensation procedures for the affected family have now begun, following the rules and regulations set by disaster management authorities. Additionally, death certificates will be issued by the Health Department in accordance with the established procedures.