‘All in God’s hands’: Gujarat pilgrims missing on Kailash route after Nepal floods
An agonising wait has begun for families across Gujarat after 12 people, including six NRIs, went missing or lost contact following the flash floods near the Nepal-Tibet border.
As flash floods wreaked havoc in Nepal, an agonising wait has begun for families across Gujarat after 18 people from the state, including 14 non-resident Indians (NRIs) and several Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims, went missing or lost contact in the disaster-hit regions near the Tibet border.
According to data compiled by the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) on Thursday afternoon, the uncontactable people hail from Ahmedabad, Anand, Surat, Valsad, and Rajkot, as well as those of Gujarati origin currently residing in the United States and Australia.
Communication blackout
Many pilgrims last spoke with their families just hours before flash floods tore through key border transit points, damaging major roadways and severing telecommunication networks.
Among those listed are a US-based couple, Bimalkumar Patel, 47, and Jaimina Patel, 43, originally from Anand, who were travelling to Kailash Mansarovar via Nepal.
“They arrived in India on July 28 and left for Nepal on August 16 for the yatra,” said Nilesh Patel, Bimalkumar’s brother-in-law. “They had finished local sightseeing and were heading to the immigration office for their visas to cross into Tibet. They had an 8.30 am appointment… We have not been able to reach them since.”
The couple’s 12-year-old son remained in Anand with relatives. “He did not want to travel and stayed back. We are extremely worried and praying for their safety,” Nilesh added.
Similarly, in Mehsana, the family of 43-year-old Australian resident Bhavinkumar Raval is awaiting an update from local officials. Bhavinkumar had arrived in India to embark on the pilgrimage with three friends.
Story continues below this ad
“My brother last spoke to his wife around 7.45 am, telling her he would reach Tibet in five minutes for immigration processing. Since then, there has been no contact,” said his brother Dhaval Raval. “The district administration reached out for details, which we have provided. They are in a group, so we hope they will be found soon. The lack of communication is worrying; it is all in God’s hands.
According to authorities and family members, several untraced travellers had taken the Kerung route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and were near the Bhote Koshi River and Friendship Bridge along the Rasuwagadhi–Kerung border when the floods struck.
Other missing people identified on the list include Kinnari Patel, Mihir Patel, and Ashok Kapadi from Ahmedabad; Paresh Patel and Jyoti Patel (US residents hailing from Surat); Jay Kotecha from Rajkot and Roma Intwala from Valsad, who were last known to be near Friendship Bridge.
While SEOC records suggest Roma may have been located, family members stated they are still awaiting confirmation.
Story continues below this ad
Relief and rescue operations have been intensified as Indian diplomatic channels and Nepal emergency teams work to establish contact with stranded groups.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
