In a tragedy that struck Uttarkashi's Dharali, two young men, Salman and Furkan from Sambhal, have gone missing after a cloudburst led to a calamity. These youths, along with others from Moradabad and Bijnor, were working on welding projects in a local Dharali hotel for over a month. In conversations prior to the disaster, they expressed their intent to return home soon with their earnings. However, their sudden disappearance post-disaster has left their families in despair.
According to their companions, the young men were seen running for safety during the disaster. This has become a major source of anguish for their families, with mothers expressing their grief through tears. In a conversation with 'Aaj Tak', they bared their emotional pain.
Salman, aged 34, and Furkan, aged 19, residents of Ruknuddin Sarai in the Nakhasa region, had been working in Uttarkashi's hotel. They belonged to a group of welders from Sambhal, Bijnor, and Moradabad working in Dharali for several weeks.
Both young men frequently communicated with their families, giving assurances of returning home swiftly. On August 4th, they promised their wages would be collected soon. Sadly, after the cloudburst on August 5th, communication was lost, and they went missing.
Reports from relatives indicated one youth was rescued by army personnel, now safely housed in a military camp. It's reported that when the youth came down for food, the oncoming cloudburst forced them to flee. Since then, Furkan and Salman have not been found.
Source: aajtak
Upon hearing about the disaster, the families, anxious and fearful, attempted to contact the youths through calls, but connections failed. Consequently, they dispatched people to Dharali to gather any news of their sons. Meanwhile, rescue operations continue at the disaster site.
Furkan and Salman's mother expressed heartbreak while recounting their last conversation, pleading with Uttarakhand's government and military forces to expedite the search, praying for their safe homecoming.
Source: aajtak
Both fathers also share their pain. Father of Furkan, Mohammad Ayub, stated that during the disaster, his only son was at the market for groceries. Suddenly, debris cascaded down from the hills; in the immediate chaos, contact was lost. Three days later, confirmation came that his son was among the missing in the Dharali tragedy. Accompanying youths recount relentless searches without news. Their sole hope now rests on divine intervention for safe returns.
Salman's father, Mohammad Arif, explains that their last interaction occurred on August 3rd, where they discussed current happenings. However, attempts to connect on August 5th failed, and by August 7th, communication was still non-existent. The contractor later revealed some workers, among them Salman, were missing.
The families have reported the incident to Nakhasa police, who advised registering a complaint via Uttarkashi's helpline. Investigations are underway from both police and rescue teams on-site.
