Father desperate for info after IIT-Roorkee alumnus goes missing on Kedarnath pilgrimage

DEHRADUN: A 24-year-old IIT-Roorkee alumnus who had gone to Kedarnath with a friend a day after receiving his engineering degree at the convocation ceremony on July 27 has been missing since a flash flood damaged the Gaurikund-Kedarnath route at multiple locations four days later.
Since the incident, his father has visited Uttarakhand five times, sometimes accompanied by his son's friend, desperately seeking information about his missing son.
Rupin Samariya, from Beawar in Rajasthan, and his friend Dhanendra Singh — who works in a private firm in Bengaluru — left for Kedarnath on July 28.
They offered prayers at the shrine on July 30 and began their return journey after attending the aarti the following morning. As rough weather set in, they decided to stop at Gaurikund, the base point for the trek to Kedarnath.
The flood that took Rupin away was one of the deadliest this year, damaging the route between Gaurikund and Kedarnath at 29 locations. Dhanendra told TOI, "It was around 8.30pm when the water level in the Mandakini river suddenly rose. We were standing a little away from the river, around 10 to 15 metres, when the water hit us. The last I saw of Rupin, he was caught in the river's strong currents and clutching the bag containing his IIT degree and laptop. We were both swept away, and I lost consciousness soon after. When I came to, I searched for Rupin everywhere, but he was nowhere to be found."
Rupin's father, Amarchand Samariya, an insurance agent, said that his son was a devoted follower of Lord Shiva, and he set out for Kedarnath the day after receiving his degree.
"We took photos together, and everyone was so happy during the convocation ceremony. As a parent, I felt proud that my son had fulfilled my dream," he added.
"My son had lost his phone, but he called me from Dhanendra's phone on the evening of July 31 to say they would be staying at Gaurikund for the night. However, the flash flood struck that night. While Dhanendra survived, there has been no trace of my son."
Amarchand added that he lodged a complaint with the Sonprayag police station and, after running from pillar to post, submitted a letter to CM Pushkar Singh Dhami's office detailing the incident and seeking help.
"We've pasted posters with my son's details in Haridwar, Rishikesh, Sonprayag, and Dehradun, hoping for any lead," he added.
Over the last two months, both Amarchand and Dhanendra have been travelling across Uttarakhand's Garhwal region — including Haridwar, Rishikesh, Sonprayag, Gaurikund, and Dehradun — in search of Rupin, pasting posters at bus stands, ghats, and other public places.
They are offering a reward of Rs 51,000 for any information about Rupin's whereabouts. "We are trying everything we can to find him," Dhanendra said.
The Sonprayag police conducted a search for Rupin soon after the incident, but all efforts have been unsuccessful. Locals and rescue teams have been informed, but there have been no developments in the case so far.
"I'm still hopeful that someone will come forward with information," said Amarchand, who refuses to give up the search for his son. "He was a brilliant student and had a bright future ahead of him."