E-Paper
Two US citizens among 8 Sikh pilgrims missing in Uttarakhand
Luvpreet Singh of Amritsar has complained that eight pilgrims, including two US citizens, had come to Hemkunt Sahib from Amritsar on July 6 by an Innova (PB-06-AB-5472). There has been no information since the driver called his family to inform that they were returning after having paid their obeisance at the gurdwara.
A complaint has been lodged after the families of eight Sikh pilgrims from Punjab failed to establish contacts with them since July 6. The pilgrims had left from Punjab for Hemkunt Sahib gurdwara in Uttarakhand.
Luvpreet Singh of Amritsar has complained that eight pilgrims, including two US citizens, had come to Hemkunt Sahib from Amritsar on July 6 by an Innova (PB-06-AB-5472). There has been no information since the driver called his family to inform that they were returning after having paid their obeisance at the gurdwara.
Tripti Bhatt, SP of Chamoli, said, “CCTV footages are being checked at various places along with the physical inspection of all the hotels, gurdwaras and dharamshalas (inns) in the district to trace the missing pilgrims and the vehicle.”
“All the adjoining districts and areas of revenue police have been informed about the missing car and the pilgrims and a telephone number (01372252134) has been flashed all over the state to obtain any information about them,” she added. The forest department too has been asked to look for them along the banks of the rivers.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday established contact with the Amritsar district administration to know about the two Sikh US citizens, Harkewal Singh and Premjit Singh, who are missing along with six Indian nationals, Kirpal Singh, Jasbir Singh, Harpal Singh, Varinder Singh, Kulbir Singh and driver Manga Singh.
Harpal and Varinder are from Dalla village in Gurdaspur while the others are from Chowk Mehta area in Amritsar. The US citizens had also come to Chowk Mehta to meet family friends and left for the pilgrimage on July 1.
As per the family members, some of the pilgrims contacted them on July 6 from Gobind Ghat and told that they are returning home. But their phones are switched off since.
US embassy officials on Thursday rang up Amritsar deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha to know about its two citizens. The DC said, “I informed them that there is no input yet.”
The families too met the DC. “I have also asked the police commissioner, Amritsar, SS Srivastava, to extend help and locate the missing persons,” he added.