Khadka's family in distress after son goes missing in India

By Our Correspondent,Rukum West, Apr. 29:Chitaram and Birami Khadka from Musikot Municipality-1 of Rukum West have been in tension for the past two years. The house of the Khadka couple in the district headquarters remains desolate. 

The condition of their eldest son Gopal, who went to India for higher studies, has been unknown for the past two years.

Since Friday, April 29, 2022, the condition of their 26-year-old son Gopal Khadka has remained unknown. Birami expressed her hope that her son would return home one day. 

She said, "He called to us to inform us that his exams were over, and was coming home. Today, it's been two years, and neither has our son returned nor do we know his whereabouts."

Looking at Gopal's belongings like sports equipment, and musical instruments arranged in his room, Birami's heart sinks, and she becomes restless. 

Chitaram termed the day his son went missing as a black day. He has lost his appetite and sleep since his son's disappearance. "Since the day our son went missing, we are in tension," said father Chitaram. 

"The burden of the loan taken out for our son's education and the increased expenses for the search of our son have been intolerable now," he said. 

Gopal had gone to India to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Hotel Management and Technology at Alpine Institute of Management and Technology in Dehradun, India. 

According to his father Chitaram, he was supposed to return home on April 29, 2022, from the college. However, he has neither returned home nor is he at college. Chitaram mentioned that despite continuous searches by relatives in various places in India, they have not been able to locate him yet.

Friends and relatives have their assumption that Gopal and his friends were drugged, made unconscious and robbed by some unknown individuals who spoke Nepali near the Ganga River in Haridwar, India, while they were returning home. Since then, Gopal has been out of contact. 

Chitaram also mentioned that all the belongings they sent with Gopal had been looted upon his return after completing exams. One student who was looted in Haridwar managed to return successfully and continued his studies, but news of Gopal's whereabouts has not been received even after continuous searches.

Efforts have been made through the Nepali government to communicate with the Indian Embassy for Gopal's search. However, Gopal's whereabouts remain unknown to this date.