SRINAGAR: Jalandhar is in mourning as the families of Vanshika and Disha, two 22-year-old close friends, remain trapped in a cycle of despair and faint hope following the devastating cloudburst that struck Kishtwar district on August 14. The sudden disaster, which triggered a flash flood near the Machail Mata shrine, has left scores dead and many still missing. So far, 64 dead bodies have been recovered.
According to Chandigarh-based newspaper, The Tribune, the two young women had travelled with Vanshika’s family to pay obeisance at the revered shrine in the upper reaches of Kishtwar. While the family remained slightly behind, Vanshika and Disha chose to move ahead together. The flash flood engulfed the area near the community kitchen where devotees had gathered, sweeping the two away before they could reach safety.
Chisoti village, located close to the shrine, was reduced to rubble by the deluge, and rescuers have been sifting through debris ever since. For Vanshika and Disha’s families, the search is personal and agonising. Vanshika’s mother, originally from Jammu, had accompanied her husband, son, daughter, and Disha on the pilgrimage. After the tragedy, her parents returned to Jammu, while Disha’s parents have yet to issue any statement or be traced in the aftermath. Both families reside in the Sodal Road locality of Jalandhar.
Kapil Kumar, a relative of Vanshika, said the families had travelled to Kishtwar in three buses from Jammu. “Disha is a close friend of Vanshika, and they always stayed together. They would never leave each other,” he told The Tribune over the phone, describing the deep bond between the two missing friends. He added that the families’ emotional condition was “deplorable” after days of fruitless waiting.
