He Was Complaining Over Flood Rescue Hurdles, Then Omar Abdullah Arrived

Chashoti village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district has turned into a site of outpouring grief, as families wait anxiously for the bodies of their loved ones who were killed or buried alive under the slush during Thursday's flash flood. At least 60 people have been confirmed dead in the cloudburst that flooded the village that marks the starting point of an annual Hindu pilgrimage - Machail Mata Yatra.

As rescue operations entered the third day, the grief turned into anger. A man from Jammu, who is waiting for the bodies of over a dozen relatives, alleged that the rescue site has become a place for photo ops for the politicians, and that's hampering the relief work.

"20 JCBs are here, but only two are functioning. The rest aren't. The ministers and MLAs are visiting multiple times. They are not letting the police and army do their (relief) work. It has been three days and only two rocks have been removed. Is this work? Whenever the ministers visit, they turn off the JCBs. Don't we have families?" he told NDTV.

Another man chipped in, "Our little children are missing."

"If not alive, give us the dead body," urged the man from Jammu, adding, "The MLAs are bringing 10 others with them; they are stopping the (relief) work to get their photos clicked."

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who happened to visit the cloudburst site this morning, arrived at the spot at that moment and enquired, "What happened? Tell me"

He reiterated the same complaint to the Chief Minister and urged, "Please give us the dead bodies."

"That's what we are doing since the day this tragedy occurred," replied the Chief Minister.

As he tried to reassure him, he cut the politician in between, "Sir, meri suno (listen to me). The police and the army are working. Each MLA is getting a minister 10 times, and (saying) 'stop the JCB and click our photos'. Are photos needed everywhere? We are helpless and worried."

He told the Chief Minister that 13 members of his family are missing, including his mother and her sister (mausi). Another man said his wife, two children, and two other relatives have gone missing since the cloudburst on Thursday.

"The JCB down there - it started after you arrived. Only two JCBs have been working since yesterday. We don't want anything, just give us the dead bodies," appealed the man from Jammu. When told that everyone was impacted by the tragedy, he replied, "If it had occurred to an MLA or minister, if it had happened to you, then action would have been faster."

Mr Abdullah had visited the cloudburst site in Kishtwar earlier this morning and taken stock of rescue and relief operations. Speaking to NDTV, he assured that every effort was being made to retrieve the bodies. At least 80 people are still missing, he said.