8 devotees returning from Hemkund Sahib missing

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 12

Eight devotees, including two USA-based NRIs, have gone missing from Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand. The devotees who belonged to the Meha township near Amritsar had gone to pay obeisance at the holy shrine on July 1.

Their family members said they had called from Gobind Ghat and told them that they were returning home after paying obeisance at the shrine.

Narinder Singh said his son Kulbir Singh, nephew Jasbir Singh and his brother Kirpal Singh had gone to Hemkund Sahib in a taxi on July 1. They were accompanied by their two USA-based relatives Kewal Singh and Paramjit Singh; besides Varinder Singh and Harpal Singh of Gurdaspur and one more person. He said on July 6, they received a call from Kulbir who said they were returning home. Their mobile phones were found to be switched off thereafter.

The family members have urged the authorities to help them in tracing them. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Kirpal Singh Badungar has written to Uttarakhand Chief Minister TS Rawat, seeking his intervention. Deputy Commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said he had asked the local police to contact their counterparts at Uttarakhand.

Sewa Singh, manager of Gurudwara Gobind Ghat (Uttarakhand), while talking over phone said the administration and the police were already on alert and looking for the missing persons. He said they had already searched the river track but to no avail. “From mobile phone locations, it was revealed they had started their return journey on July 6,” he added.