A long-awaited reunion of 24 childhood friends from Pune’s Awasari Khurd village turned into a nightmare as the group remains missing after a devastating cloudburst near Dharali in Uttarkashi.
The friends, all part of the 1990 Std X batch, had reunited after 35 years for a Char Dham Yatra. However, they went off the grid on Monday evening (August 4).
‘Phones Unreachable Since Monday’
The group reportedly began their journey on August 1 from Mumbai and was last heard from around 7:00 pm on Monday, when they were about 10 km from Gangotri, stuck due to fallen trees and minor landslides. Since then, their family members have been unable to reach them. “Their cellphones have not been reachable,” said Aditya Bhor, son of group member Ashok Bhor.
The situation has left families deeply distressed, especially as distressing videos of the disaster continue to circulate widely on social media. “Despite repeated assurances, we haven’t been able to speak to anyone personally. Everyone is anxious,” said Mahendra Jangam, whose sister Samruddhi is among the missing group.
Maharashtra Tourists Stranded; Rescue Efforts Underway
In addition, the Uttarakhand cloudburst has left at least 149 tourists from Maharashtra stranded, including 76 from Mumbai and 15 from Pune. While some have been confirmed safe—such as 61 Mumbai tourists currently sheltering at Hanuman Ashram—around 75 remain uncontactable.
Authorities have confirmed that 11 tourists from Nanded are safe and are expected to return soon. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar assured that the Maharashtra government is maintaining constant communication with the Uttarakhand administration and is actively coordinating rescue operations.
Baramati MP Supriya Sule also appealed on X (formerly Twitter) for swift action to locate the missing tourists. (Agencies)
