TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
VASCO: Little did Ashwin Shetye of Baina know that his adventure tour to Ladak on his motorcycle would turn out to be a nightmare, as he, along with his other friends got trapped due to landslides at Nako in Himachal Pradesh.
Speaking to Herald, Ashok Shetye said his son, Ashwin, who is working as a mechanical engineer with Royal Enfield Company at Kerala, is an adventure enthusiast and has been going on such trips.
“On June 10, Ashwin transported his motorcycle to Delhi by train and on June 12, he flew to Delhi, from where Ashwin along with 30 other friends started their adventure journey to Ladak on the motorcycles,” informed Shetye and said he the last call he received from his son was on June 16; and thereafter there was no contact with Ashwin.
He said after watching the news on the national channel on June 17, they panicked as Ladak falls in the same region of Uttarakhand. “There was no contact with my son for almost a week and everyone at home was worried. We were glued to the TV trying to see whether we could trace our son among the crowd, but there was no sign of him,” added Shetye.
“However, we heaved a sigh of relief when Ashwin contacted one of our relatives through a mobile phone of his friend, Nitin Talekar.”
“Talekar gave us an alternate mobile number through which we contacted Ashwin at Nako and during the conversation, he told us that he was safe,” informed Shetye.
Shetye said his son informed him that the food provision at the hotel where he is staying will last for the next three days and after that life will be difficult.
“Ashwin told me that the stranded people are air-lifted only if they have influence, while others are left at their mercy,” claimed Shetye.
“I immediately contacted Power Minister Milind Naik and through his office contacted the chief minister and urged him to request authorities to air-lift my son and friends to safety,” informed Shetye.
Shetye further said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar assured them about the safety of his son and his other friends. Shetye has urged the State government to look after the well being of his son and his friends till they unite with their families.
