Jammu, Sept 15: A month after the devastating cloudburst at Chashoti in Kishtwar district, families of 32 missing Machail Mata pilgrims continue to wait in grief and uncertainty, with search operations yielding no breakthrough so far.
The tragedy struck on August 14, when torrential rains triggered a cloudburst that killed at least 65 pilgrims, left several others missing, and injured many. Rescuers managed to save 167 people, but despite weeks of intensive efforts, there has been no clue of the 32 still unaccounted for. Severed limbs of some victims were recovered in the initial days, but full bodies remain missing.
Relatives of the missing have been caught between hope and despair. Many stayed near the disaster site for days, watching every attempt by rescuers before eventually returning home, leaving their contact details with officials and local reporters for updates. Some have also circulated photos of their loved ones on social media in the hope of tracing them.
“Many times we get calls from the relatives who, amidst sobs, seek information about their loved ones,” said Ajay Singh, a local reporter from Kishtwar. He recalled a call from a family in Jalandhar still waiting for word on two missing girls.
Experts believe the bodies may have decomposed or been swept further downstream by the river.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Pankaj Sharma, said debris from the affected area has been cleared, but daily search operations by Apda Mitra teams are still underway along riverbanks to trace any remains. He added that reluctance of families to come forward for DNA testing of recovered body parts is hampering identification.
“Our teams will continue searches for another 10–12 days. After that, a month’s notice with photos and details of the missing will be published in newspapers. Only then will the missing be declared dead, paving the way for insurance claims and other processes,” Sharma said.
