Retired Judge Missing in Nepal Floods: Legal Community Mobilizes Search Efforts

Former Madras High Court Judge V Sivagnanam has been untraceable in Nepal since August 26, following floods and landslides that disrupted movement across several parts of the country. The Delhi Tamil Advocates Association has approached Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, seeking urgent intervention to facilitate efforts to locate the retired judge and ascertain his safety.

The Disaster and the Missing Judge

The flash floods in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and adjoining areas occurred after a sudden surge in the Bhotekoshi River. According to the representation submitted to the CJI, Justice Sivagnanam had travelled to Nepal as part of a group of Tamil pilgrims. A photograph taken inside the bus carrying the pilgrims has reportedly confirmed his presence with the group.

Justice Sivagnanam last contacted his wife through a WhatsApp call in the early hours of August 26. There has been no communication from him since, raising serious concerns about his whereabouts amid the disruption caused by the natural calamities. What makes the situation particularly alarming is the proximity of his whereabouts to the rescue zone. Passengers travelling in another bus, who were later rescued near the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal Border Outpost at Timure, told Justice Sivagnanam’s family that his bus was located only around 100–200 metres from theirs.

The Scale of the Catastrophe

Nepal’s natural disaster has reached catastrophic proportions. The death toll from the flash floods had risen to 788 by Sunday, while 2,502 people remained missing. The disaster severely damaged roads, bridges and other infrastructure, while hundreds of people, including pilgrims and foreign tourists, were reported missing. This background underscores both the severity of conditions Justice Sivagnanam may be facing and the complexity of search operations in the affected region.

A Distinguished Judicial Career

Justice Sivagnanam served on the Madras High Court before his retirement and has a judicial career spanning nearly 34 years. He began with the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Service in the early 1990s, where he served in the subordinate judiciary, including as a District and Sessions Judge across several jurisdictions. He was elevated as a judge of the Madras High Court in 2020 and dealt with civil, family and writ matters during his tenure. Following his retirement, he was designated a Senior Advocate by the Supreme Court with effect from July 23, 2025.

The Legal Community’s Response

In a letter dated August 30, the Delhi Tamil Advocates Association urged the CJI to intervene and extend assistance in tracing Justice Sivagnanam. The bar association’s decision to escalate to the Chief Justice of India reflects the gravity with which the legal fraternity views this situation. This formal appeal represents more than just concern for a missing person—it underscores the collective responsibility of the Indian legal establishment toward one of its own.

The Delhi Tamil Advocates Association requested the CJI to forward the matter to the Government of India and the concerned authorities so that coordinated efforts can be undertaken to trace Justice Sivagnanam, establish his safety and facilitate his return to India. The Association has appealed for coordinated efforts by Indian and Nepalese authorities to locate Justice Sivagnanam and provide assistance to him if he is found stranded or injured.

Critical Concerns and Next Steps

The fact that fellow pilgrims from another bus were rescued near Timure provides a sliver of hope while simultaneously deepening concerns. If Justice Sivagnanam’s bus was in such close proximity to rescued passengers, it raises questions about what may have happened in those specific minutes when disaster struck. The narrow margin of distance—just 100 to 200 metres—suggests his survival remains possible if rescue teams can access the area where his bus may have come to rest.

The representation has been made under the guidance of retired Justice S Nagamuthu, Patron President of the Delhi Tamil Advocates Association, and its President, Advocate-on-Record P V Yogeswaran. This senior leadership involvement signals the seriousness with which India’s legal community is treating the matter and the expectation that high-level intervention may be needed to coordinate cross-border rescue and recovery efforts.

As rescue and relief operations continue in Nepal’s affected regions, the search for Justice Sivagnanam remains ongoing. The case underscores both the unpredictable nature of natural disasters and the human cost of being caught in their path, regardless of one’s professional standing.