Deb apology over delay ...Navy to join in the search operation in Teesta.. 2 more unidentified bodies found .. Navy in the rescue

TT, 17 Jul 2019, Siliguri: State tourism minister Gautam Deb on Tuesday apologised to the family members of the tourists who have been missing since July 10, for not reaching out to them after the accident.

The minister has assured them full cooperation from the state and said a team of the Indian navy will join in the search operations on Wednesday to locate the missing tourists, the cab driver and a vehicle.

"I have extended my sympathy and apology to the missing tourists' family members for not reaching out to them after the mishap. I have assured them that all necessary measures have been taken to trace out the missing persons and the vehicle. The state will provide all sort of help to them," said Deb, after meeting the family members here.

A vehicle ferrying three tourists from Rajasthan had went off NH10 and plunged into the Teesta at Sevoke on July 10. The body of one of the tourists was found near the Teesta Barrage in Gajoldoba later.

After the accident, the NDRF was brought at the spot and search operation was launched but the the tourists and the vehicle had not been found.

This had led to protests in Sevoke on Monday, which prompted the administration and even Anit Thapa, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration chairman, to intervene. Later, it was learnt that the state has sought support from the Indian army and navy.

During Monday's protests, questions were also raised as why no official or minister stood by the families or visited the spot.

After meeting the families, the minister ascended to Sevoke, around 25km from Siliguri, to take stock of the situation and spoke with the NDRF officials. He also spoke to some locals, who expressed their grievances about the slow progress of the search operation.

"The NDRF team is trying hard to find the missing persons and the vehicle. But the Teesta has swollen after heavy rains in the region and the water force has increased, which is why not much could be achieved. We have sought for experts who are capable of working in such conditions and are expecting two officials of Indian navy to reach the spot by Tuesday evening and a special team from Guwahati will also come on Wednesday to start the search operation again," said Deb.

KalimNews: Meanwhile Two more unidentified bodies were found at Gajaldoba in the Tessta barrage and sent to Mal Bazar moratorium for examination. The bodies are disfigured beyond recognition. Two Navy officials from Guwahati visited the spot for search operation to be started from Wednesday.