We need a miracle’: At Haridwar, a father & friend look for IIT Roorkee alum ‘missing’ in Kedarnath floods

According to authorities data, astatine slightest 79 radical person died, 37 person been injured, and 25 are inactive missing since June 15 due to rain-related disasters successful the state.

Rupin, an technologist from IIT Roorkee who embarked connected pilgrimage to the shrine with his person Ghanendra Singh (25) on July 29, was astatine the Gaurikund basal campy connected July 31 erstwhile the floods struck. The oldest of 2 sons, Rupin graduated connected July 27.

“I spent the archetypal week searching for him everyplace connected the route. Then idiosyncratic suggested that I enactment up posters and denote a reward,” helium says now, his dependable hoarse from each the talking he’s been doing portion looking for his eldest son.

According to Ghanendra, Rupin wanted to sojourn the shrine aft securing his degree. On July 31, helium and Rupin stopped to campy astatine Gaurikund connected their mode backmost from the shrine, helium says.

“Rupin had mislaid his phone. So astir 8.30 pm, aft we reached Gaurikund, helium called his begetter utilizing my phone,” helium says. “I assured his begetter that we would beryllium good and that Rupin would telephone again erstwhile we’ve recovered a hotel.”

But they ne'er recovered a hotel. Within minutes of this telephone call, erstwhile a ample boulder struck nearby, unleashing a torrent of water. Ghanendra’s ft got caught and helium fell into the gushing water, fainting. The past clip helium saw Rupin, his friend’s backpack had caught connected thing successful the gushing waters.

“I floated for astir 150-200 meters and yet got stuck successful a heap of wood,” helium says.

When helium woke up an hr later, determination was nary motion of his friend.  “I chanted the Hanuman Chalisa and ran to the Gaurikund constabulary station, wherever I told them everything,” helium says.

For implicit a period now, Ghanendra has been helping Amar Chand look for his mislaid son. So far, the duo has enactment up 300 posters and distributed implicit 1,000 pamphlets.

“Then an astrologer predicted that my lad was live and wrong 23 km of wherever helium was past seen. So, I person rented a motorcycle and americium presently searching everyplace wrong that radius… Next, I volition trek to Baba Kedar and hunt for him there. Maybe seeing his person getting washed distant did thing to him and he’s hiding,” Amar Chand says, adding that his woman Vandana and 2nd lad Siddharth are getting worried.

According to Ghanendra, Rupin was ever funny successful concern and entrepreneurship and had adjacent founded a start-up. The duo has besides been utilizing societal media to marque appeals successful an effort to way down the missing man.

“We’re besides getting assistance from IIT Roorkee to find him. We adjacent wrote to the Chief Minister (Pushkar Singh Dhami), but thing has happened truthful far,” helium says.

Despite these efforts, anticipation is accelerated fading. Ghanendra present hopes for a miracle.

“I didn’t judge successful miracles before, but a occurrence saved me. Now I judge successful miracles. And that’s what we need. We request a miracle.”