For the past eight months, Amar Chand Samaria, a 56-year-old insurance agent from Rajasthan, has been tirelessly searching for his son, Rupin, an IIT Roorkee graduate who went missing in the Kedarnath cloudburst disaster of July 2024. Despite posters, pamphlets, and letters, his search has yielded no answers. Rupin is among the 22 people still unaccounted for since landslides and flooding devastated the Kedarnath yatra route.
“I will search for my son until my last breath,” said Samaria, who suspects Rupin was swept away by the swollen Mandakini river. He initially searched the yatra route himself before resorting to putting up posters and distributing pamphlets. Accusing officials of apathy, Samaria lamented that authorities did not even offer words of sympathy.
Rupin had left for Kedarnath with his friend Ghanendra Singh on July 29, 2024, just two days after graduating from IIT Roorkee. He intended to visit the shrine to offer prayers after securing his degree. On July 31, while descending from the shrine, he lost his phone. Samaria last spoke to him at around 8:30 PM using Ghanendra’s phone. Moments later, a sudden surge of water engulfed the area, and Rupin was never seen again.
Samaria remains hopeful, encouraged by local priests who claim Rupin is alive. “My inner voice tells me the same. I will return to Uttarakhand on April 10 to resume my search before the yatra begins. If I find my son, it will be the greatest blessing.”
In September 2024, Samaria wrote to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, criticizing the lack of transparency in the police investigation. “Debris is still lying at the site. CCTV footage has not been provided to us despite our requests,” he stated.
Other Families Share the Same Agony
Samaria is not alone in his grief. Ved Pal from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has been searching for his 27-year-old son, Arvind, since last year. “We have traveled to Sonprayag four to five times, trekked to Kedarnath, searched everywhere, and even announced a reward, but we have no information. Authorities give the same response every time—there is no update. Nothing has been done for us.”
Arvind and his friend Suraj were initially heading to Haridwar for the Kanwar Yatra but decided to visit Kedarnath. That was the last his family heard from him. “My heart tells me that my son will return. We will go back to Sonprayag to look for him again,” said Pal. However, the financial burden has been overwhelming. “Each trip costs us ₹15,000 to ₹20,000. We are drowning in debt. The only thing keeping me going is the hope of finding my son.”
Similarly, Sushil from Yamunanagar, Haryana, has been searching for his 23-year-old brother, Anuj, since last July. “He left home on July 29 with his friend Gautam, whose body was found. Our last conversation was on July 30, when he told us he was heading to the shrine. Since then, we have had no news.”
Sushil spent a week in Sonprayag, putting up posters and searching every possible location. “The administration never supported us. No one listened to our pleas. Every time we call the Sonprayag police station, we never get a direct answer. Now, with the yatra about to begin again, we will return to search for him.”
Officials Say Search Operations Have Ended
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar stated that 22 people remain missing since the disaster. “The search operations ended long ago, yet they remain untraceable. We are in touch with their families. However, compensation cannot be granted until they are officially declared dead.”
Following the July 31 floods, authorities recovered seven bodies and rescued approximately 13,000 pilgrims from the Kedarnath trek route. The disaster damaged infrastructure at 29 locations and led to the suspension of the yatra for 19 days. However, for the families of the missing, the search continues with undying hope.
Sources By Agencies