Karnataka landslide: Missing lorry driver’s family claims delay in rescue operation
PTI, Jul 20, 2024, 12:21 PM IST
Kozhikode(Kerala): The family of the Malayalee lorry driver Arjun, who has been missing since July 16 after his truck was caught in a massive landslide in a village in Karnataka, on Saturday claimed there was a delay in the rescue operation being carried out there.
His sister told media 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, an MVD officer present at the landslide site told reporters that the Karnataka officials were hopeful of finding the truck by afternoon.
Arjun’s family is hopeful he will be rescued and returned to them as his mobile phone was ringing even on Friday 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.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
BJP MLA Yatnal calls for indefinite protest against illegal waqf property entries
Udupi: DC clears confusion over ‘Sultanpur’ mention in Dishank App
Accident claims life of biker near Thekkatte
Subrahmanya: Youth assaulted for texting female student
Kadaba: ‘Notion that only English-medium education leads to success is misleading’
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
No one should be displaced over Waqf land issue in Kerala’s Munambam, says CPI
India and China made ‘some progress’ in disengagement, says EAM S Jaishankar
Non-performance of batters is worrying, we will strive to do something special in Australia: Rohit
K-Rail can be implemented if technical issues in design addressed, says Centre
Naxalism will be wiped out from country by March 2026: Home Minister Amit Shah
Thanks for visiting Udayavani
You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.