No official clarity or death certificate: Kin of Chisoti cloudburst victims await closure, justice

Families of Chisoti cloudburst victims on Friday demanded justice, compensation and issuance of death certificates of the deceased, alleging official inaction even months after the tragedy claimed several lives. The families alleged that despite repeated representations to authorities, no concrete action has been taken to close the cases and grant death certificates.

Families of Chisoti cloudburst victims on Friday demanded justice, compensation and issuance of death certificates of the deceased, alleging official inaction even months after the tragedy claimed several lives. Holding photographs of their missing kin, scores of relatives gathered outside the Press Club here, demanding answers from the administration. On August 14 last year, a cloudburst struck Chisoti village, the gateway to Machail Mata temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, killing 65 people, mostly pilgrims, while more than 30 people are still considered missing. Friday's protest was carried out by the victims' aggrieved relatives, many of whom are still awaiting formal confirmation of their loved ones' deaths and financial assistance. Protesters displayed a banner carrying photographs of the deceased and missing persons, naming several of them, including Rohit Kumar, Shivani Kumari, Budh Raj, Tulsi Devi, Som Nath, Anjali Sharma, Jinny Devi, Pihu Devi, Arshil Mehra, Anansi Mehra, Jeeto Devi, Arsh Mehra, Rahi Mehra and Sudesh Kumari. The families alleged that despite repeated representations to authorities, no concrete action has been taken to close the cases and grant death certificates. In the absence of clarity, they are not able to conduct the last rites of their kin, the relatives said. ''We have been running from pillar to post seeking justice, and are exhausted. Jammu authorities have to clear the issue as the tragedy happened here. The files are lying in offices, but no action is being taken,'' Mandeep Kumar, one of the protesters, told reporters. Mandeep, a resident of Punjab's Gurdaspur district who lost his wife Ruby and mother-in-law Taro Devi in the cloudburst, recounted the events following the tragedy. ''We rushed to Chisoti immediately after hearing of the tragedy, but there was so much confusion and no clear information about them. I was in deep shock. An official told us that we would be contacted later, but no update has been given to date,'' he said. He alleged that the bodies of his wife and her mother were never recovered, and no material evidence was handed over to the family. ''I only want the death certificate to be issued quickly so that religious rituals can be performed for the peace of the departed souls,'' he added. Another protester, Sunita Devi, also said many families were unable to perform the final rites of their loved ones as the bodies were never recovered. Rajesh Kumar and Bindiya from Punjab's Jalandhar district said they have been oscillating between despair and acceptance while searching for answers about their 22-year-old daughter Vanshika and her friend Disha, who went missing in the natural calamity. ''Our demand is simple: The government should act and give us death certificates. The file is still lying in the DC office, but no action is being taken,'' Bindiya said. She said it is deeply disturbing for them to recall the incident each time. ''We only want justice. We want a simple death certificate,'' she said. Shyam Sharma, a resident of Ramnagar in Udhampur district, said his elder brother, sister-in-law and their daughter Anjali Sharma were among the victims. ''The bodies of my brother and wife were recovered, but my niece Anjali Sharma is still missing. To date, we have not received any official confirmation or documentation,'' he said. Sharma said his family had made repeated rounds of hospitals and administrative offices in search of clarity and relief, but got no response. ''We visited hospitals and administration offices many times, hoping for some update or certificate, but nothing has been issued to us till now,'' he said. The families said the prolonged delay has deepened their distress, and they need closure. They urged the administration to provide clarity on the status of the missing persons, and expedite granting of necessary certificates to enable religious, legal and relief-related formalities.