Uttara Kannada Landslide: Karnataka High Court Directs State To Continue Rescue & Rehabilitation Efforts To Locate Missing Persons

Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty informed the court that a total of 11 people went missing, of which 8 dead bodies have been recovered and three more persons are missing. The rescue operations have been temporarily halted.

It was cited that due to heavy rains and a red alert having been issued for four days out of the 19 days now since the incident, the rescue operation has been temporarily halted. Shetty said, “It is impossible to do the rescue operations, it has been temporarily halted and it is not stopped.”

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind said “You Continue the efforts.” In response, Shetty assured the court that it would be continued.

Deputy Solicitor General H Shanthi Bhusan also informed the court that the centre had deployed teams from the Indian Navy and NDRF and the state government had stopped operations because there was heavy water current.

The court took on record the details and adjourned the hearing to August 12, as counsel for the petitioner sought time to go through the memo submitted by the state government and make his submissions.

These directions were given while hearing a petition filed by Advocates Siji Malayil and Subhash Chandran KR. The Supreme Court by its order dated July 22, refused to entertain the petition under Article 32 of the Constitution. However, liberty was granted to the petitioner to approach the High Court of Karnataka and make a request before the Chief Justice for immediate listing of the matter.

The plea states that the petitioners are aggrieved by the inactions on the part of the State of Karnataka and police authorities as they were allegedly reluctant to deploy manpower and machines with immediate effect for rescue operations.

A direction was sought on the respondents (Union and State Government) to take all possible steps by clearing the entire debris round the clock to locate the stranded human life and vehicles.

Case Title: Siji Malayil & ANR And Union of India & ANR

Case No: WP 19409/2024