Protima Bedi among 180 feared killed in UP landslide
More than 180 people, including 60 pilgrims to Kailash-Mansarovar, are feared killed in one of the worst landslides in Uttar Pradesh.
Among the dead pilgrims are Protima Gauri Bedi, the wellknown Odissi dancer, mother of actress Pooja Bedi and former wife of film star Kabir Bedi. Bedi's name figures in the list of victims released by the external affairs ministry.
The calamity occurred in Malpa village of Pithoragarh district, about 60 km from Dharchula on the Indo-Tibet border, in the early hours of Tuesday.
Three columns of the army have been deployed for rescue operations. But incessant rains are making relief work almost impossible.
Eight personnel of the Indo-Nepal Tibetan Border Police, Kumaon
Mandal Vikas Nigam employees and porters are among the killed.
Over 40 mules have also perished.
UP Principal Secretary (Home) Naresh Dayal said the
pilgrims of the 12th batch, drawn from various parts of the
country, included 46 men and 14 women.
Seventeen of the pilgrims belonged to Maharashtra, ten to Tamil
Nadu, six each to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, five to
Delhi, four to Uttar Pradesh, two each to Assam and West Bengal and
one to Madhya Pradesh.
"The site has become inaccessible," he said, "Roads have been washed away."
Dayal said the camp of pilgrims and the entire village was swept
away in the landslide triggered by heavy rains, which had been
lashing the region for the last one week.
Quoting unconfirmed reports, Dayal said seven bodies have been recovered and nine injured persons found by the ITBP personnel.
This is the second major landslide within a week in the state. The first took place in Rudraprayag
district, killing 69 people.
The next batch of pilgrims has been asked not to proceed towards Malpa
village. The ITBP has despatched three teams for relief and rescue
operations in Malpa. ITBP Director General Gautam Kaul left for
Bareilly on his way to Pithoragarh. He is expected to reach the affected area tomorrow
to supervise the relief and rescue operations.
Dayal said the district administration was in constant touch with
the state government, but was not able to pass on valuable
information owing to bad weather. Even wireless sets had to be
switched off due to thunderstorms in the area, he said.
The rescue teams along with medical officers had been despatched from
Gala, Garbayang and Mirthi where a battalion is stationed. ''The
teams are expected to reach the affected areas tomorrow morning
after a long trek since there is no road link,'' the sources said.
The ITBP has a transit camp outside Malpa village. The eight ITBP personnel, feared killed, had gone to the village to spend the night
due to lack of accommodation when the landslide struck. One
subordinate officer and five other ranks were reportedly safe at the
camp.
UNI
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