Seven Dilaram Tea Estate residents near Kurseong still untraced in Sikkim

KURSEONG, 23 SEPT: Seven persons, all residents of the Dilaram Tea Estate near Kurseong, who were working at Munshithang in north Sikkim, have remained untraced since last Sunday. The family members of these persons have been spending sleepless nights since the earthquake struck Sikkim last Sunday with no information having come about their whereabouts.
It has been learnt that the missing persons have been at Munshithang near Chungthang in north Sikkim for the past several months. The untraced youths have been identified as Ajit Tamang (21), Dipesh Rai (22), Laxman Tamang (18), Kusal Rai (35), Kumar Gurung (51), Bhasker Rai (21) and Aasesh Rai (21).
The mother of Ajit Tamang, Mrs Santa Tamang, said that she had tried to contact her son several times over his mobile phone.
“I have got no response from his end yet. Even his friends cannot be contacted. We do not know whether he is alive or not,” she said.  Ajit’s sister, Miss Suda Tamang, said that Ajit had left for Sikkim in last June. “He used to talk to us daily. But since the quake struck Sikkim he has not contacted us. Neither are we getting his line. We are apprehending the worst, though at the same time, we are hoping against hope that he is alive and remains trapped awaiting the rescue team to drag him out,” she said.
The same is the case with the near ones of the rest six who have remained untraced since last Sunday.
Mrs Savitri Rai, the mother of Mr Aashesh Rai, recounted the same story of frantic attempts to contact her missing son and the non response from his end. ”The last time I talked to him he told me that he would come home during the Diwali,” she said with tears moving down her cheeks.
The parents of the missing persons have filed a general diary at the Kurseong police station yesterday with the help of the local GJMM leaders.  The police said that they are keeping in touch with the Sikkim administration for information.
The three MLAs from the Darjeeling Hills, who have visited Sikkim today, have met the officials there to gather information about the persons who hail from the Hills, have remained untraced in Sikkim. 

SNS