The Madras High Court has directed the State Government of Tamil Nadu to file a status report on the measures undertaken to trace and rescue Tamil pilgrims who are reportedly missing in the flash floods that occurred in Nepal. The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan on a public interest litigation filed by lawyer Parvesh Mushraf.
The petitioner sought directions to both the Union and State Governments to coordinate with search and rescue authorities in Nepal, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, and private travel operators to take all necessary and expeditious steps to locate, rescue, and bring back all Tamil nationals unaccounted for in the disaster. The plea emphasized the absence of an authoritative, person-wise verification of the status of each pilgrim, arguing that media reports on missing persons cannot be treated as official or authenticated records.
The petitioner contended that the lack of a comprehensive, official list distinguishing between those rescued and safe, those hospitalized or under medical care, and those still unaccounted for leaves families in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in anguish, unable to verify the fate of their relatives. It was further submitted that the severe damage to communication infrastructure in the flood-affected areas of Nepal has made it practically impossible for families to independently confirm the safety of their loved ones.
The petition highlighted the possibility that some pilgrims may still be unaccounted for and stressed that the lives of the missing individuals, including that of a retired judge of the High Court, remain at risk. The petitioner urged the court to issue directions for a coordinated, official effort to ensure no pilgrim is left behind.
When the matter was heard on Tuesday, the State Government informed the court that it had undertaken all possible efforts in coordination with the Central Government and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu to locate and bring back the missing pilgrims. It was stated that officials from Tamil Nadu were present in Kathmandu and were actively coordinating with Nepalese authorities, the Indian Embassy, and the relatives of the pilgrims.
The State further submitted that in cases where pilgrims remained untraceable, assistance had been provided to families to travel to Nepal to search for their relatives. It assured the court that effective steps were underway to rescue all Tamil nationals stranded in Nepal and bring them home safely.
After hearing the submissions, the bench directed the State Government to file a detailed status report outlining the steps taken, the current status of the missing persons, and the coordination mechanisms in place with central and international authorities. The matter was adjourned for further consideration after the report is filed.
The case is titled AF Parvesh Mushraf v The Union of India and Others, bearing Case No. WP (MD) 25026 of 2026. The court’s direction underscores the need for official, verifiable information in humanitarian crises involving citizens abroad, particularly when families lack access to reliable communication channels.