The body of engineer Vikram Rana (58), who had been missing since a massive landslide struck a tunnel construction site in Wayanad district, Kerala, on July 7, was recovered on Sunday, July 12, after a six-day search operation.
Discovery Ends Six-Day Search
According to Promod Rana and Kulwant Rana, brothers of the deceased who have been stationed at the landslide site since July 8, the body was recovered by search and rescue teams at around noon on Sunday. The remains were found beneath a heap of pipes near the entrance gate of the construction site, hidden under the landslide debris. The recovery brought an end to six days of anxious waiting for Rana's family, relatives, and villagers in Sarela village, Takoli-Ghirthan gram panchayat, Fatehpur subdivision, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh.
Family members said they had not cooked food at home during the entire period, praying for his safe return. The entire gram panchayat has been left in shock following his untimely demise.
Post-Mortem and Dispatch of Remains
After the completion of legal formalities and a post-mortem examination by the Wayanad authorities, the mortal remains will be dispatched by the construction company, DBL Construction, and are expected to reach Rana's native village on Monday, July 13.
Details of the Incident
Vikram Rana was working as Project Manager with DBL Construction Company and had been deputed to the tunnel construction project in Wayanad in February this year. He was trapped when a massive landslide struck the construction site on July 7.
Four rescue teams, comprising personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Fire and Rescue Services, Kerala Police, and volunteers from the local NGO Jeevan Rakshak, carried out an intensive search and rescue operation for six consecutive days. The teams finally recovered Rana's body from beneath the landslide debris.
