Eight Indian-origin US nationals missing in Nepal, families seek urgent help
Hyderabad, Aug 28 (TNT): Families of eight Indian-origin US nationals, mostly having roots in Telangana and Karnataka, have appealed to Indian and Nepalese authorities for urgent assistance in tracing them after they became uncontactable in Nepal on August 26.
The group was reportedly travelling to Mount Kailash–Mansarovar through Nepal under travel arrangements facilitated by Classic Vacations, a Nepal-based travel agency.
According to the families, the last known contact with the group was around 8.30 a.m. Nepal local time on August 26, when they were at the Rasuwagadhi Immigration Office near the Nepal-China border.
Since then, family members have been unable to establish contact with the group and are concerned about their safety and whereabouts.
The missing persons have been identified as Laxminath Gopisetty, Sudhindra Yapalparvi, Sudhir Rangu, Keshav Rao Tadipatri, Vivek Shankar Srivastav, Venkataraman Balasubramanyam, Venkatakrishna Bangalore Raghunatharao and Kriti Kumar Acharya, all US citizens.
The families said they had made repeated attempts to contact the group following the last communication from Rasuwagadhi.
They said Anil Goel, based in the US, had collaborated with Chet Prasad Bhatta, stated to be the managing director of Classic Vacations, for the travel arrangements. The families alleged that there had been no response from the travel agency despite attempts to contact it. They also approached its Mumbai office, but said they received limited assistance.
The families have sought immediate intervention from the Government of India, the Indian Embassy in Nepal, Nepalese authorities, immigration officials and the travel agency to locate the eight persons and establish their safety.
They have appealed to anyone with information regarding the whereabouts or movements of the group, particularly in and around Rasuwagadhi, to contact the families.
Emergency contact: +1 202-993-9110
The families have urged the authorities to treat the matter as urgent, saying there has been no communication with the group since the morning of August 26.
TNT KS
