Family of sinkhole victim returns to India last night - Police

KUALA LUMPUR: The family of the victim in the sinkhole incident in Jalan Masjid India left for India last night after the operation on search and rescue (SAR) was called off and entered the search and recovery phase, last Saturday.

Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizme Affendy Sulaiman said the victim's husband and son left for home via Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

"Yes, they left last night," he said when contacted.

The media yesterday reported that the victim's husband and son were seen lighting oil lamps and ringing bells, which is a Hindu religious ceremony at the location of the incident.

Throughout the SAR operation, the victim's family, especially her son, M.Suria, 25, was seen regularly at the SAR tent to obtain information on the search operation for his mother by the rescue team.

Earlier, Bernama reported that the Immigration Department had extended the visas of four members of the victim's family, namely the husband, son and two relatives while Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) assisted the needs of the victim's family during the search operation.

On Saturday, the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa announced that the SAR operation for the Indian woman G. Vijaya Lakshmi, 48, who went missing after falling into an eight-metre deep pit in Jalan Masjid India on August 23, had been stopped after nine days.

--BERNAMA