"Please locate both of them": Punjab man's appeal after losing wife, mother-in-law to Kishtwar cloudburst

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 17 (ANI): Mandeep Saini, a Punjab resident who recently visited Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir, has made an emotional appeal to the government to locate his wife and mother-in-law, who went missing in the devastating August 14 cloudburst in Chasoti that claimed at least 55 lives.
Saini had come to drop off his wife at her home in the Kishtwar district for Rakshabandhan, held on August 9. While he left for Punjab on the morning of August 12. Subsequently, his wife had gone for darshan to 'Machail Mata Mandir'. However, Saini got to know about the tragedy from his wife's brother-in-law.
"I had come here on Rakshabandhan to drop my wife off at her parents' home. I went back to Punjab on the morning of 12 August, around 7 am. Around 10.30 am the same day, she went for 'darshan' to 'Machail Mata Mandir'. Then on 13 August, I got a call from my wife's brother-in-law. He told me about the cloud burst and said that my wife and her mother were lost," Saini told ANI.
"The remaining six people with them are coming back. It's been four days, and we still have no clue where the two of them are. My mind is not functioning. I last spoke to her at Udhampur station...All of us are really worried... I have only one request for the government: please locate both of them. I have no other request except to please find them," he added.
Meanwhile, security forces have intensified rescue and relief operations in the district. General Officer Commanding (GOC) Counter Insurgency Force - Delta, Major General A. P. S. Bal, said all the security forces are trying their best to rescue as many people as possible from the area affected by the cloudburst.
Highlighting the Indian Army's rapid response, he said the army reached the site within 45 minutes of the disaster.
"All the security forces are trying their best to rescue as many people as possible from the area affected by the cloudburst. We are also providing relief to the local people who have suffered due to this disaster... The Indian Army was the first to respond to this disaster, and they reached the spot within 45 minutes..." Major General Bal told the media on Saturday.
The Indian Army is leading ground operations, supported by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), police, and local administration.
Earlier on Saturday, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the cloudburst-affected areas of Kishtwar and met affected families. He confirmed the recovery of 55 bodies so far, with many people still missing.
Expressing deep sorrow, he announced ex-gratia relief from the CM's Relief Fund: Rs 2 lakh for each deceased, Rs 1 lakh for severely injured, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. The government will also provide Rs 1 lakh for fully damaged structures, Rs 50,000 for severely damaged, and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged houses. (ANI)