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.
On Friday morning, EAM S. Jaishankar received the 21 rescued pilgrims at New Delhi airport after they were evacuated by the Nepali Army to Kathmandu and then flown to India. Tamil Nadu ministers Aadhav Arjuna and A. Rajmohan were present at the reception.
“I welcomed a group comprising 21 tourists from Tamil Nadu who were rescued from the floods that occurred in Nepal. I was deeply moved upon hearing their experiences firsthand. I express my gratitude to the Nepali Army and the government of that country for carrying out this rescue operation. I commend the efforts of the Indian Embassy in Nepal in smoothly coordinating their return to India,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
As of Friday afternoon, the broader picture across all Indian nationals remained serious: 321 Indians were still missing according to MEA. Nepal's NDRRMA had mobilised 14,821 security personnel — Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force — for search and rescue operations. India has also committed to sending Bailey bridges and other relief supplies to Nepal.
For Tamil Nadu's group: of the 106 pilgrims, 21 have now returned; a further set have been traced and confirmed safe but not yet evacuated; and 36 remain untraced as of August 28. The government control room at Tamil Nadu House, New Delhi is continuing to operate around the clock.
The 21 rescued Tamil Nadu pilgrims arrived at Chennai airport on Friday night aboard an Air India flight, completing a journey from the mountains of Nepal via Kathmandu and New Delhi. They were received at the airport by state Ministers N. Anand (Rural Development and Water Resources) and D. Sarathkumar (Human Resources and Management), who oversaw their immediate welfare and transport home. The group consisted mainly of friends and relatives from Chidambaram and Mayiladuthurai.
Minister K. A. Sengottaiyan said: “Chief Minister Vijay is closely monitoring the situation and has been collecting information on developments in Nepal every minute. The Chief Minister was taking steps to protect the people and ensure that similar incidents did not occur in the future.”
As of August 29, the state government is continuing efforts to trace the remaining pilgrims whose whereabouts are unconfirmed. Four ministers remain in Delhi coordinating with the Union government and the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
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