The Hindu : Kerala News : In search of their daughter

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 12, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

In search of their daughter

By Our Staff Reporter

Kalaivaani and Sivashankaran.

KOLLAM, FEB. 11. In a desperate search for their eight-year-old daughter, Shanthini, who went missing at Velankanni during the December 26 tsunami, a couple from Thiruvaroor near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, Sivashankaran and Kalaivaani, arrived here today. Mr. Sivashankaran, employed in a Gulf country, was at his work place at the time of the incident Ms. Kalaivaani with her daughter and her brother-in-law, Mohan, his wife, Chithra,and two children were at Velankanni on December 26. When the tsunami hit the area, the group got dispersed. Finally Mohan, Kalaivaani and his elder daughter regrouped. Shanthini, Chithra and one-and-a-half year old Sushmita went missing. While Sushmita's body was found the next day, Chithra is still listed as missing.

Sighted at camp

However, enquiries made by Mr. Mohan and Ms. Kalaivaani on December 27 brought information that Shanthini was sighted at one of the relief camps in the area. Descriptions of the dress she wore, complexion and other details tallied with the information provided by those who claimed seeing the girl at a relief camp.

But suddenly towards evening on that day, even as Ms. Kalaivaani and Mr. Mohan were continuing their search, there was the warning of another tsunami and all hell broke loose. Every body present at the relief camps engaged in searching for their missing relatives immediately took whatever transport they could to quickly leave Velankanni. Mrs. Kalaivaani feels that someone may have helped her daughter board such a bus to safety. Most of the buses there were from Kerala. In the interim Mr. Sivashankaran returned to join in the search.

Wrong girl

Two days ago, the couple received some information that a girl resembling their daughter was sighted at Kunnicode in Kollam district and they rushed to Kunnicode. With the help of the police they traced the girl in question but that was not their daughter.

Continuing with their search, the couple today met the Kollam Collector, B. Sreenivas, and submitted a petition. Mr. Sivashankaran told The Hindu that he somehow believes that his daughter should be alive somewhere and that is what prompts them to continue searching.

On receipt of the petition, the Collector directed the RTO officials to make a list of the tourist buses which passed through the Aryankavu check-post on December 24, 25 and 26 towards Velankanni. The aim is to locate the passengers and make enquiries with them.

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