Wayanad: Nearly six months after the devastating landslide in Kerala’s Wayanad district, the Wayanad District Disaster Management Authority has officially declared 32 missing individuals as deceased. The landslide, which struck the Mundakkai-Chooralmala region, had claimed over 450 lives.

With this declaration, the families of the missing individuals will now be eligible for financial aid and housing assistance. The process of providing relief will begin once death certificates are issued to the respective families. The government has initiated the formal procedure to register their deaths and issue the necessary documents.

The list of deceased persons was finalized after a thorough verification process, which involved cross-checking records maintained by a local committee consisting of the village officer, panchayat secretary, and station house officer. The details were corroborated with FIRs filed regarding missing persons and an investigation report confirming that the individuals could not be traced.

The final list will now be reviewed by a state-level committee comprising the Additional Chief Secretary of the Interior Department, the Principal Secretary of Revenue – Disaster Relief, and the Principal Secretary of Local Self-Government. Based on government directives, all benefits extended to the families of those who lost their lives in the disaster will also be provided to the kin of the newly declared deceased individuals.

The massive landslide in Wayanad had resulted in significant casualties, with officials recovering a total of 454 remains, comprising 231 intact bodies and 223 body parts.

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Pune, Feb 10 (PTI): Amidst high drama, former Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant’s son Rishiraj was brought back to Pune along with two friends on late Monday evening, cutting short their trip to Bangkok, hours after police filed a kidnapping case, officials said.

According to Ranjan Kumar Sharma, joint commissioner of police, Rishiraj Sawant (32) and his two friends had booked a chartered plane for Bangkok without informing his family, but an anonymous phone call spoilt their travel plans.

After police registered a kidnapping case following the anonymous call made to the control room, his whereabouts were traced and he was brought back to Pune along with his friends, he said at a hurriedly convened press conference.

"Our police control room received a call around 4 pm in which an anonymous caller informed us that Rishiraj was taken away by some unidentified people. Accordingly, we swung into action and registered a kidnapping offence.

"During the probe, it was revealed Rishiraj along with his two friends had booked a chartered plane for Bangkok. We tracked the flight and contacted the airline for the aircraft's return. The flight has now returned to Pune with three passengers, including Rishiraj," informed Sharma.

"We will enquire and find out the purpose of his trip to Bangkok and why he did not inform the family about his travel plans," the police officer said.

While replying to a question, Tanaji Sawant, who was present at the police briefing, denied any dispute with his son.

According to police sources, the flight to the Thailand capital was booked for Rs 78 lakh.

The former minister said he contacted police after coming to know his son had left for the airport with friends without informing the family.

A week ago, Rishiraj Sawant had gone to Dubai, but this trip was known to family members, said the senior politician.

Asked about the police machinery going into an overdrive to trace his son and bring him back, the former minister maintained was worried as a father.

Joint commissioner of police Sharma said the anonymous call indicated Rishiraj Sawant was taken away by unidentified people and on that basis, an FIR of kidnapping was registered.

The IPS officer opined that in such cases, things do not proceed unless an FIR is registered and that is why police moved quickly and filed an offence.