Karnataka landslide: Missing lorry driver’s family seeks Army’s help in rescue

Kozhikode (Kerala): Five days after lorry driver from Kerala Arjun went missing after his truck was caught in a massive landslide in a village in Karnataka, his family on Saturday said they have lost faith in the ongoing rescue work and sought deployment of the Army to find him.

The family, talking to reporters outside their home here, said they have sent emails to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister of State for Tourism, Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking deployment of the Army to carry out the rescue work.

Another alternative proposed by the family is that the Karnataka government permit volunteer rescue workers from Kerala to go there and assist in the operations to find Arjun.

“If they (Karnataka) cannot carry out the rescue work properly, let the Army do it or let people from Kerala go there and do it. There are people from Kerala who have the equipment and are willing to go there and carry out the rescue work,” the family said as the fifth day after Arjun’s disappearance draws to a close.

His sister and mother said that they initially had faith in the authorities there and therefore, they kept quiet and waited.

“But they have delayed the rescue work. They have not shown the urgency required. We have lost faith in them. Therefore, we have emailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Suresh Gopi sir and the Kerala Chief Minister,” they said.

Earlier in the day, Arjun’s sister had said that the Karnataka police were informed on July 16 itself that he was missing and later further details, including his truck’s GPS location, were communicated to them, but till date there is no information available about his whereabouts.

“If there is so much delay, what hope should we hold on to? If they did not have the requisite facilities there, they should have brought it from where the same is available,” she said.

Kerala Forest Minister A K Saseendran, who visited the family in the morning, told reporters that the rescue operations were expedited following effective intervention from the Kerala government and prominent political parties in the state.

“Hope it will be fruitful,” he said.

He further said that besides a team of Motor Vehicle Department officials from Kerala, a police team from the state was also present at the site where the landslide occurred and they were providing regular reports about the status of the rescue efforts.

The minister also said that equipment like ground penetrating radar and metal detectors have reached the site to help with the rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan said rescue efforts were being overseen by Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar.

He said that the adverse weather conditions were hindering the rescue efforts as there was a risk of further landslides due to the rains.

“There is no lack of effort from the Karnataka government’s side,” he said.

He further said that the family would be anxious and distressed as they have been waiting for several days for information about Arjun.

Arjun’s family had on Friday said that his phone was ringing that morning and the GPS tracker on his truck was emitting a signal, placing the vehicle somewhere underneath the massive mound of mud and rock debris.

On Friday, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan got in touch with Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah over the issue.

According to the family, they last spoke to Arjun on Monday after which there has been no contact from him.

Six bodies have been recovered after the landslide incident on July 16.

Vehicular traffic has been temporarily suspended on National Highway 66 following the landslide.