Kamaladevi Nayak's tears have dried up as she cries. She only cries and moans. The memory of her son Dinesh, who went to Russia to study two and a half years ago, continues to haunt her.

There was a way to talk to her from time to time. There has been no contact for more than two years. That has made her even more upset. Whenever she meets someone, she tries to dig her heart out. She tells her stories. Everyone reassures her. But, they cannot give her hope that her son will return.

Dinesh, 23, of Bhimdatta Municipality-9, Bahmadev, had gone to Russia in Asad 2080 to study. Two months after arriving there, he informed her that he had joined the army. At that time, Kamaladevi advised her son not to join the army. Instead, she urged him to return home. However, Dinesh did not agree. They would call home regularly during the training period. Except when they completed their training and went to the war zone, they would call every week/ten days to tell them about the situation. This did not always work. Kamala spoke to her son for the last time on Mangsir 10, 2080. At that time, he had informed her that he was going to war and would call her back in 15 days.

‘He had said that he would come home on leave for a month after returning from the war, but he never even called,’ she said, ‘It has been more than two years, I don’t know what my son’s condition is like.’ There is no other way but to look at the horizon from time to time. After getting sick, she stumbles upon a photo her son sent on WhatsApp. She rubs the photo with her hand and starts crying. ‘When he asked for education, I sent him for a loan. Now, on the one hand, I am worried about my son and on the other hand, I am worried about paying the loan,’ said Dinesh’s father Karnasingh. ‘I asked him to return home as soon as he joined the army, but he refused. He said that he would return home only after earning money.’ _{Mother Kamaladevi and her family looking at a photo of her son who has been out of contact for two years. Photo: Bhavani Bhatta/Kantipur}  

According to his father, Dinesh left home on Asad 2080. After spending a week in Kathmandu, he flew to Russia. After reaching Russia, he enrolled in college. He also started working after arranging his vacation. His father said that he had worked for a month and sent 50,000 Nepalis home. Then on Bhadra 12, Dinesh called his father and told him that he had joined the Russian Army. ‘I was already worried,’ he said. ‘Even after being enrolled, I asked him to return home. But he refused.’

Dinesh told his parents that after being enrolled, they would have 15 days to decide whether to participate in the training or not. They were also tempted to get 3 lakhs before the training. The father said that he avoided them and joined the training due to that temptation.

‘As soon as the training was over, he started going to war. After returning from the war, he would call and tell me the news,’ Karnasingh said, ‘The last time he was going to war for 15 days and said he would call only after returning, but since then there has been no contact.’ Dinesh’s maternal uncle’s son Rohan also went to Russia to study. Rohan had joined the army there a month before Dinesh. Karnasingh says that Dinesh also joined the army after seeing Rohan.

‘But the brothers never talked or met, Rohan ran away and returned home after nine months, my son’s whereabouts are unknown,’ Karnasingh said, ‘Even after pleading with everyone from leaders to ministers to find his son, no initiative was taken from anywhere.’ He filed a complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Based on his request, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written to the Nepali Embassy in Moscow on 14th Shrawan 2081 to take necessary steps to send Dinesh back to Nepal. However, the family said that no further information has been received so far.