Pandoh (Mandi), June 10
The agony of the parents looking for their children washed away in the Beas is growing with each passing hour as only five bodies have been extricated from Pandoh Dam till now in the ongoing rescue and search operation.

The parents of 19 missing students, swept away in the Beas on Sunday after sudden release of water from Larji Dam, are camping here hoping to see their children again.

Though their agony fearing worst is visible on their faces, their wait is still on.

Savita, mother of one of the victim Akhil, a second year B Tech student from VNR Vignana Jyothi College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, could not stop looking towards the dam water time and again holding her tears back with difficulty. When asked about the hope she had of seeing her son, she said, "I had talked to him at 11 am on the day of the mishap and am now here hoping to see him.”

She holds no grudge against anyone. Blaming her ill-luck instead, she said, "People are trying to find out the lost children." Mohan Rao, uncle of another student P Ridhima, was sitting beside her father, who kept silent looking towards the Pandoh Dam and her picture in his mobile. He wanted deployment of more men in the search operation.

When Rajender Reddy, father of Dasari Srinidhi, talked to her at 3.20 pm on mobile, she was thrilled about the whole tour. He said, "I am here, hoping to find my daughter. I am keeping in touch with the local administration.”

Father of Muppidi Kiran Kumar, who rescued three fellow girls from the Beas water before getting swept in the water, narrated the bravery of his son, displaying his picture barely able to hide his pain. Losing patience, several parents blamed the state government for not deploying adequate forces to search for the students and for not putting any warning signals on the spot of the mishap or sounding alarm before the release of water.

Nageshwer Rao, Narsimha and other parents blamed the engineering college management for not taking adequate steps to ensure safety and security of their children before being taken on a tour from Hyderabad. They said, "Even last year, two engineering students from the college had drowned in Nagarjun Sagar Dam but they learnt no lessons." The parents demanded action against the college management.

The presence of authorities from Telangana and HP coupled with the people involved in the search and rescue operation are their only glimmer of hope.