What Happened to Neetika, the 11-Month-Old Victim of Himachal's Natural Disaster?

Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Sep 9 (NationPress) At just 11 months old, Neetika was peacefully sleeping when the ferocious floodwaters approached. Her parents and grandmother ventured out to protect their home from the impending disaster but tragically did not return. Surprisingly, the innocent child was left unharmed, as if the fury of the monsoon had paused for her.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday at noon, he will meet Neetika, who is one of the 21 survivors he plans to visit.

This little girl, now under the care of her relatives, stands as the sole surviving member of her family following the catastrophic events of July that devastated the hill state, displacing hundreds of families and leaving tourists stranded.

Her existence, both delicate and resilient, has become a symbol of both the tragedy and the miracle of survival. For Himachal Pradesh, she embodies a disaster whose scale cannot be fully captured by statistics.

Neetika's miraculous survival occurred during the night of June 30 and July 1, when a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst hit Talwara village in the Gohar sub-division of Mandi district.

Prime Minister Modi is touring the flood-affected areas of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to assess the ongoing disaster response and rehabilitation efforts following severe floods and landslides that have devastated northern India.

The youngest survivor, Neetika, lost her parents, Ramesh Kumar, 31, and Radha Devi, 24, along with her grandmother Poonam Devi, 59, who were caught in a landslide and swept away.

The body of her father was located near their home, while her mother and grandmother remain missing.

A widely circulated photograph shows Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Samritika Negi cradling Neetika, which has touched hearts across India.

Currently, the child is being cared for by her aunt Kirna Devi, who lives in the same village where the tragedy occurred.

Neetika has been designated a “child of the state,” ensuring government support for her upbringing, education, and future professional studies.

An insider informed IANS that at Gaggal airport near Kangra, where the Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive around 2 p.m., he will meet the 21 survivors of the landslides and flash floods.

Additionally, he will chair a meeting with state and central government officials to evaluate the damage and assess the losses from these natural disasters.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu and senior BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur and state party chief Rajeev Bindal, are also expected to participate in the meeting.

PM Modi is anticipated to conduct an aerial assessment of the worst-hit districts: Mandi, Kullu, and Chamba.

Neetika, the youngest survivor, hails from the Seraj Assembly constituency represented by BJP leader Jairam Thakur, who played a vital role in assisting the Prime Minister’s Office in compiling the list of survivors.

Other survivors expected to meet the Prime Minister include Mukesh from Thunag village in Mandi district, who lost all his family members—parents, wife, and child.

Among the other survivors are Inder Singh from Nachan, who lost his wife and three daughters in a landslide, and Krishna from Mandi town, who lost two sons, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson.

Just before the Prime Minister’s visit, a significant landslide occurred in Sharmani village in Kullu’s Nirmand, resulting in one fatality and three rescues.

Chief Minister Sukhu remarked that the state has endured losses exceeding Rs 5,000 crore, with the most damage affecting the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) highways. State roads have also suffered severe impacts.

Stunning visuals of landslides demolishing multi-story buildings and the evacuation of hundreds of individuals, along with rescuers searching for those feared missing, were common during the calamity that unfolded in July, August, and September, resulting in 371 deaths, 41 individuals missing, and extensive infrastructure damage across the state.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)