Arunachal: APCC vice president lambasts state government over whereabouts of missing mountaineers

Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) Vice President Toko Mina on October 22 questioned the state government over the search and rescue operation carried out by the East Kameng administration to trace out missing mountaineers Tapi Mra and his assistant Niku Dao.

The duo had been missing since August 17 while attempting to scale a mountain in the district. 

Mina, who visited the family members of Mra during the day, expressed concern that despite the passing of over two months, the whereabouts of the duo could not be ascertained so far. 

“It has been months since Mra, who is the Adventure Promotion Officer (AFO) at the state Youth Affairs department, and all attempts for his rescue operation by the Army, police, and administration have failed is a multi-dollar question,” Meena added. 

''When it is known that with every passing hour, chances of retrieving the victims are decreasing, the East Kameng district administration delayed the process to engage pieces of machinery and instead imposed 144 CrPc to close the rescue operation despite repeated appeals from the family members to depute local mountaineers in the search and rescue operation,'' Meena wondered. 

Slamming the state government over the matter, she further added, ''It is very unfortunate and shameful for the state government that the family members of Mra are bearing all the expenses starting from porter wage to high performing mountaineering pieces of equipment, which exposed the disregard of the government towards its employees”.

She said that the government must take full responsibility and continue the search and rescue operation as Mra was on the expedition accorded by the Directorate of Youth Affairs.

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