ES Reporter 

ITANAGAR, Oct 17: Exactly two months after the state's first everester Tapi Mra and his aide Niku Dao went missing on August 17 last while on an expedition to Mount Kyarii Satam in East Kameng, the 13-member search and rescue team today recovered the belongings of the duo from a snow covered area, a short distance away from camp-II. Footprints have also been spotted at few places.
Gadgets like GPS, mobile phone, tents, boots and other personal belongings of the missing mountaineers were recovered by the team which were buried under several metres of snow.
However, the mission has been called off as the area is experiencing heavy snowfall.
Earlier, after the state government called off the search and rescue operation on September 21, the Tagin Cultural Society on September 24 last announced that  a team of mountaineers led by everester Tagit Sorang will resume the search and accordingly "indemnity bond" was also signed.
Following the significant development on Monday, the Tagin Cultural Society (TCS) has come down heavily on the handling of the initial search & rescue operation by the East Kameng Deputy Commissioner PA Polumatla and demanded the state government not to release the DC who has been transferred out and called for initiating action against him.
Addressing mediapersons at the press club here today, Yatuk Mra Nalo, sister of the missing everester, held  the negligence and arrogant behavior of the DC, for the failure of the first search and rescue operation.
She said, if only the DC could have accepted her request to involve mountaineers Tagit Sorang and Taru Hai in the search operation along with the Indian Army, there was possibility that both could have been rescued. 
“I don’t blame the Indian Army for failing to find the belongings of the missing mountaineers. 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 an official correspondence was made to the DC through the office of Director Sports & Youth Affairs for every means of cooperation in the search and rescue of the missing, which was not acted upon. Moreover, the office had also informed the concerned authority along with district SP about the expedition.
“This also indicates the negligence of the DC and district administration together towards the case. Therefore, there is no question that Tapi Mra did not follow government procedure before leaving for the expedition,” she said, adding that if there is any lapse in communication, the Director Sports & Youth Affairs should be held responsible.
She also appealed to the DC to explain why there has been repeated orders issued by his office to call off the operation. 
“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, Secretary Human Resource Development –TCS and also the Coordinator of the Rescue Mission,  Dash Dosi said that though the DC has been transferred but he hasn't yet been released. Therefore, until the matter is addressed by him to the public, the DC should not be released and accordingly strong action should be served.
Dosi said the rescue team over satellite phone informed that due to the heavy snowfall in the area, they had to dig almost three metres to recover their belongings. “At some places, footsteps have been spotted. However, it is not confirmed if they are alive or dead,” he said, adding that few other belongings like Indian Flag, walkie talkies, sleeping bags and state flag have been found. 
"We have called back the mission as of now due to heavy snowfall in the area, however we will try to continue the search next season," added Dosi.     

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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