PRAYAGRAJ: It has been 13 days since the newlywed couple from Pratapgarh district – Kaushlendra (29) and Ankita (26) – went missing after the tourist vehicle in which they were travelling with 10 other passengers plunged into the swollen Teesta River in Mangan district of Sikkim and the family of the couple are yet to hear from the authorities about the two. After tying the nuptial knot in May, the couple went to Sikkim for their honeymoon on May 24. They went missing from May 29 onwards. It was later established that the mini-bus they boarded along with other tourists had fallen into Teesta River. Though authorities roped in divers and rescuers but there has been no trace of the couple since.The couple, Kaushalendra Pratap Singh (29) and Ankita Singh (26) got married just 25 days ago had gone to Sikkim on their honeymoon on May 24. A group of four family members, who returned home on Tuesday empty-handed from Sikkim, are in a state of shock and continuously shedding tears. They shared their experience with top police and administrative officials of Pratapgarh and even explained the horrific view of the Teesta river and the accident site to them.Talking to TOI, SP (Pratapgarh) Dr Anil Kumar said, “Four of the family members of the couple who rushed to the spot soon after the incident returned home on Tuesday.The family members met with senior police and administrative authorities in Gangtok and also narrated the extensive search operation being carried out by the authorities concerned.” The search operation was carried out by removing the rocks and debris of the Teesta river flowing in a ravine of thousands of feet. Teams are still searching till Chungthang, about eight km from the accident site. SP, meanwhile, said, “Even as the flow of the river has now become normal, it is not easy to search among the debris. No belongings related to the Pratapgarh-based couple have been found so far. The family members have returned on the assurance of the officers.“Sher Bahadur, who reached Gangtok in search of his son and daughter-in-law, kept searching for the couple along with his relatives and family members. They also met the two tourists who survived the accident . Sher Bahadur told Pratapgarh police officials that the two surviving tourists identified the Pratapgarh couple by looking at their photos as they were travelling in the vehicle. The vehicle was carrying 11 tourists and a driver and was returning from Chungthang to Gangtok when it lost control around 9 pm due to heavy rainfall. Eight tourists, including Kaushalendra and Ankita, remain untraceable till now.The unfortunate news has devastated both the Pratapgarh couple’s families. The families of both are still living under uncertainty.Ankita worked in the medicine department at Medanta Hospital in Lucknow. Kaushalendra, his parents’ only child, was preparing for the civil services examination in Delhi. Their honeymoon plans were finalised on a whim after their waitlisted train tickets were confirmed on May 22.
