KUALA LUMPUR – The search-and-rescue operation for Vijaya Lakshmi from India, who fell into a sinkhole at Jalan Masjid India, resumed this morning after being postponed around 7.30pm yesterday due to heavy rain.
A Bernama survey at the location around 8am found that the team comprising police, the Fire and Rescue Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall and the Civil Defence Force were already at the scene of the incident early morning. The operation is now on day six.
In an interview last night, the victim’s son said: “I’m sad because my mother could not see the tattoo (of her name) I had on my left hand, done especially for her.”
M. Surya, 25, who was inconsolable, told Bernama that the tattoo of his mother’s name Vijaya Lakshmi was imprinted on his left arm during his recent vacation in Thailand.
“Mother is everything to me, no matter what I do everything for her…that’s why when I count the tattoos on this hand, her name is the first that comes to my mind.
“But I didn’t expect this to happen…I didn’t have time to show how much I loved my mother,” he said.
Surya said the last time he spoke to Vijaya Lakshmi was early morning on the day of the incident.
“I contacted her at 1.30am on the day of the incident and told her that I had tattooed her name…mother was very happy and I could feel that happiness in her voice.
“The morning before my mother fell, she had called me but my phone ran out of battery and could not speak to her,” he said.
He added that his brother-in-law informed him about the incident on Friday.
Immediately after being informed about the mishap, Surya rushed to Kuala Lumpur from Thailand via Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah.
“I did not hesitate to book an e-hailing transportation from Changlun, Kedah to Kuala Lumpur although it cost RM600,” he said.
According to Surya, he and his family hope his mother’s body can be found quickly as they intend to take her remains back to their hometown in India and bury her in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India.
“It has been five days and we have come to a point to accept her fate,” he said last night.
A check by Bernama revealed that Surya and his father, together with family members, were always present at the location of the incident to keep track of the latest information about the search operation.
Today’s search operation, entering its sixth day, is understood to have begun with discussions on techniques and methods, as well as task assignments. Additionally, a survey conducted by the Minerals and Geoscience Department will also continue at the location in front of Masjid India.
The survey also found the area around the location deserted as the authorities prohibited the public from being near the location of the search operation.
Last Friday, Indian national Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, went missing after falling into an 8m-deep pit while passing through the road to go to a nearby temple following a sinkhole incident at Jalan Masjid India.
A search operation was activated on the same day, involving members from various security forces and local authorities using various techniques including the use of sniffer dogs. – August 28, 2024
