Two Nalbari men return home safely from Nepal; one still missing

A CORRESPONDENT

NALBARI: Two residents of Arora village in Nalbari district, Pankaj Barman and Samar Bezbaruah, who were stranded amid the devastating floods in Nepal on August 26, finally returned to their homes on Monday night. However, their co-worker Arun Mahanta, 54, remains missing.

According to reports, Pankaj Barman and Samar Bezbaruah managed to survive the disaster by taking shelter on a hilltop, where they spent four days with only water and biscuits. They were subsequently rescued by the Nepalese authorities.

The three men from Arora village-Samar Bezbaruah, Pankaj Barman, and Arun Mahanta-had been working in Nepal. All three were employed at Trishuli, Ruchuwa, under Andritz Hydro Private Limited.

At the time the devastating floods struck, Pankaj and Samar were together at their workplace, while Arun Mahanta was reportedly sleeping at a camp after completing his work. Following the disaster, communication with Arun was lost, and there has been no information about his whereabouts since then.

With the cooperation of the Nepal and Assam governments, Pankaj Barman and Samar Bezbaruah returned safely to their native village on Monday night. Their arrival brought a wave of relief and happiness to the area amid the ongoing concern over the Nepal floods.

Meanwhile, search and rescue agencies and the concerned authorities are continuing their efforts to trace Arun Mahanta. His wife, three daughters, and other family members, along with residents of the area, remain deeply anxious as there has been no information about him so far.

Also Read: Nepal flash floods: Five days on, Trishuli battles devastation; Families struggle to rebuild, await govt relief