Anthony Sami, John Rose Peter and Kumar were shot dead by Karnataka Forest Department personnel on 15 August. CM Vijay called it a massacre; the Assembly has moved a call-attention motion seeking a high-level probe.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat to assess the situation following devastating flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River in Nepal's Rasuwa district, and directed a senior IAS officer and four ministers to travel immediately to coordinate the rescue of Tamil Nadu pilgrims stranded there.
The flash floods struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district, Nepal, with devastating impact. By Thursday evening Nepal's death toll had risen to 270, with the Nepal Tourism Board's noon update listing 644 Nepali and foreign nationals missing from Rasuwa district alone across 33 countries. Indians accounted for the largest foreign-national group, with 178 missing on that list; the MEA said 288 Indian nationals across all affected areas remained unaccounted for, including 73 workers at the Trishuli One Power Project. Among those caught in the disaster were Tamil Nadu pilgrims who had travelled to Nepal for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Tamil Nadu's government established that a total of 106 pilgrims from the state were in Nepal at the time of the floods — 54 people from 10 districts of Tamil Nadu and 3 from Puducherry who had gone on an organised pilgrimage, and a further 49 pilgrims taken by a Chennai tour operator for a separate Mansarovar tour. A travel agency had organised a tour for around 57 people, of whom 37 were reportedly stranded and 20 confirmed safe.
Vijay chaired the review meeting with senior ministers and top officials including Chief Secretary M. Sai Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) K. Manivasakan, Director General of Police Mahesh Kumar Agarwal, Public Secretary E. Sundaravalli, and Commissioner for Welfare of Non-Resident Tamils and Rehabilitation R. Sathish. Tamil Nadu's Special Representative in New Delhi K. Venkata Narayana and Home Commissioner R. Jaya participated by video conference.
Vijay directed Ashish Kumar, IAS, Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi, along with a team of officials, to travel immediately to Kathmandu to coordinate with Nepalese authorities and oversee relief and rescue operations. He also ordered four ministers to rush to New Delhi:
| Minister | Portfolio | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Aadhav Arjuna | Public Works & Sports | Coordinate with Union Government from Delhi |
| A. Rajmohan | School Education | Monitor rescue, update Assembly |
| R. Vinoth | Agriculture | Coordinate repatriation |
| K. Thennarasu | Non-Resident Tamils Welfare | Facilitate medical assistance and return |
A control room was established at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi to coordinate with affected families and update relatives. The four ministers' brief: monitor rescue operations, facilitate safe and speedy return of those rescued, and ensure immediate medical assistance wherever required.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed at his afternoon briefing that 21 Indian nationals had been rescued as of 1 pm on August 27, and that all 21 were from Tamil Nadu, having travelled for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The Indian Ambassador in Kathmandu had spoken directly with the rescued group and assured all possible assistance.
“Our ambassador has spoken to people in the group and has assured all possible help. They are coming to Kathmandu, hopefully, and then arrangements will be made for their travel back home as soon as possible,” Jaiswal said.
The Nepal situation was also raised in the Assembly through a call-attention motion. Opposition members demanded stronger rescue measures, details of how many people were stranded or missing, and whether additional aircraft or helicopter assistance should be arranged. Minister Rajmohan responded to the motion, informing the House of the government's steps and the hourly monitoring underway.
Nepal Floods Tamil Pilgrims Rescue Kailash Mansarovar Disaster Response August 27, 2026