Belongings of missing Everester Tapi Mra, aide found in Arunachal

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The 13-member search and rescue team recovered the belongings of Everester Tapi Mra and his attendant Niku Dao from a snow-covered area, a few distance away from camp-II on Monday.

Gadgets like GPS, mobile phones, tents, boots and other belongings of Mra and Dao along with their personal belongings which were dumped under the snow were recovered by the team.

The Tagin Cultural Society (TCS) has demanded of the State Government not to release East Kameng Deputy Commissioner PA Polutmala from his duty and accordingly initiate stringent action against him.

Addressing mediapersons at the Press Club here on Monday, Yatuk Mra Nalo, sister of the Everester, alleged that it was due to the negligence and arrogant behaviour of the DC that the first search and rescue operation failed.

She said that if only the DC had accepted her request to involve Mountaineer Tagit Sorang and Taru Hai in the search operation along with the Indian Army, both could have been rescued.

"I don't blame the Indian Army for failing to find the belongings of the missing. However, the DC is to be blamed as he repeatedly ignored my appeal to involve mountaineering experts Tagit Sorang and Taru Hai in the first search operation," she said.

She said that official correspondence was made to the DC through the office of the Director of Sports & Youth Affairs for every means of cooperation in the search and rescue of the missing persons, which was not actually acted upon in reality. Moreover, the office had also informed the authority concerned along with district Superintendent of Police about the expedition.

"This also indicates the negligence of the DC and district administration together towards the case. Therefore, there is no question that Mra did not follow Government procedure before leaving for the expedition," she said, adding that if there is any lapse in communication, the Director of Sports & Youth Affairs should be held responsible.

She also appealed to the DC to explain why there have been repeated orders issued by his office to call off the operation. The DC should immediately explain the reason behind the order or whether he is being instigated by someone else to do so. "More information on the search and rescue operation will be disclosed once the team is back from the camp. Their words will clarify what went wrong in the first attempt of the search operation," she said.

Meanwhile, TCS human resource development (HRD) secretary Dash Dosi said that though the DC has been transferred, he has not yet been released. Therefore, until the matter is addressed by him in public, the DC should not be released and accordingly strong action should be taken.

He said that the rescue team has informed over satellite phone that due to the heavy snowfall in the area, they have had to dig almost three metres deep to recover the missing persons' belongings.

"At some places, footsteps have been spotted. However, it has not confirmed that they are alive or dead as nobody has been found yet in the area," he said, adding that few other belongings like the Indian National Flag, walkie talkies, sleeping bags and State flag have been found.

Mra and Dao went missing almost two months ago when they were on a mission to explore the snow-capped mountain Khayarisattam in the East Kameng district.

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