CAP Sikkim alleges credit-taking by SKM Govt over recovery of missing Sikkimese woman

GANGTOK,: The Citizen Action Party (CAP) Sikkim has alleged that Chief Minister PS Golay and Sikkim House are taking undeserved credit for the successful tracing and recovery of a Sikkimese woman who had been missing for weeks in New Delhi.

A 38-year-old woman from Rumbuk, West Sikkim, had reached Delhi-NCR in search of employment with two female friends on July 15. She remained in touch with her family until July 25, after which she reportedly went missing.

Earlier this week, an official statement detailed that the Chief Minister, after learning about the matter, had directed the Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House, New Delhi, along with the entire Sikkim House team, to undertake all necessary steps for her rescue and safe recovery without delay.

Acting on these directions, the Sikkim House team coordinated closely with the Uttar Pradesh Police to trace and reach the missing woman. Through this joint effort, she was successfully located and safely brought to Sikkim House, New Delhi, on Monday evening, where she was received with care and support.

A video was also released showing the Chief Minister interacting with the woman to personally understand the circumstances and challenges that had led to her situation. He assured her of all possible support from the State Government going forward. Her family, based in Rumbuk, West Sikkim, was also contacted, and she was expected to be handed over to her family members on Tuesday.

Addressing a press meet here on Friday, CAP Sikkim Geyzing district in-charge Pem Dorjee Sherpa strongly contested the SKM government’s version regarding the recovery of the missing Sikkimese woman. He maintained that it was due to the painstaking efforts of CAP Sikkim functionaries, particularly its national coordinator Pobin Hang Subba, that the woman was traced and rescued in Delhi.

Pobin Hang, who is based in New Delhi, had taken up the mission as a social worker to help a fellow Sikkimese and not as a CAP Sikkim worker, Sherpa stressed.

“The moment the SKM government learnt that Pobin Hang, working with other Delhi-based NGOs and Noida Police, had managed to trace and find the Sikkimese woman, the SKM government and the Chief Minister came into action to take undeserved credit. Overnight, they took the woman to Sikkim House in New Delhi and made a video conference for a publicity stunt and misrepresented the facts as if it was they who had worked hard to find and rescue the missing woman. They did not even acknowledge the efforts of Pobin Hang and others. This is unfortunate and will discourage others from helping people in similar cases,” said the CAP Sikkim Geyzing district in-charge.

“It was our national coordinator who worked day and night to rescue the missing woman, and it is unfortunate that the SKM government and the Chief Minister are trying to unfairly take credit. Our party was working silently and did not try to seek publicity, but we are now compelled to come before the media to tell who actually worked and who is only taking credit,” said Sherpa.

CAP Sikkim functionary Asbir Sampang Rai, who is from the same Rumbuk area as the missing woman, told the media that he had reached out to her family members. “They are from a poor family and were helpless about how to find their missing daughter in a vast area like Delhi. As a neighbour and fellow villager, I assured them that I would do my best to find the missing woman and contacted our national coordinator Pobin Hang Subba, who is based in New Delhi, regarding the matter,” he said.

The alleged misrepresentation was also taken up by Pobin Hang in his objection and complaint to the Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House, New Delhi, on August 25. He sought clarification and submitted that such politicisation may deter others in the future from coming forward to help in similar cases.

As per CAP Sikkim, Pobin Hang had informed the Resident Commissioner, Sikkim House, New Delhi, about the missing person on August 10 while pursuing his efforts to find her. During the course of the search, he personally visited the Noida Police Station six times, accompanied by NGOs and well-wishers. He also made numerous phone calls to the police and family members to gather information and follow every possible lead.

Pobin Hang and his group eventually managed to trace the missing woman and immediately informed the concerned police officer on August 23. The woman was subsequently brought to the concerned police station. As it was already around 2 am-3 am by the time the necessary formalities were completed, the missing woman stayed at his place for the night. They were asked to return on August 24 to collect her belongings.

According to Pobin Hang, he informed the Resident Commissioner that the woman had been found. Soon after, Noida Police contacted the woman and took her for a medical examination. He was later informed that she had subsequently been taken to Sikkim House.

In his complaint, Pobin Hang said he was not allowed to meet the woman in Sikkim House and was eventually informed that she had left Sikkim House on her way to the airport. He said the social media videos showing the Chief Minister interacting with the woman through a video conference gave the impression that the entire effort in tracing and assisting her had been carried out by the Resident Commissioner’s office and members of Sikkim House.

He questioned on what basis the alleged misrepresentation had been made and why a humanitarian case, which should have been above political differences, was allowed to be presented with political implications. He also questioned why the efforts of individuals, NGOs and police personnel who worked continuously to trace the woman were not acknowledged.

“Facts clearly show that the search began weeks earlier and involved sustained efforts by myself, the Noida Police, NGOs, well-wishers and others. My purpose in taking up this matter was never political. I acted only because a woman from Sikkim was missing in the Delhi-NCR region and her family and village needed assistance,” he said.

It was informed that the missing woman was traced at a temple where she had been staying for some days after failing to find employment. She had left the friends who had accompanied her to Delhi and was later helped by the temple management in finding a job.