Status: Untraced - E9: Father Is One

It started with a backpack at the 1996 centennial Olympic Games, a backpack that contained a bomb. While the authorities focused on the wrong suspect, a serial bomber planned his next attacks two abortion clinics and a lesbian bar.

I saw as soon as I turned the corner, basically someone bleeding out.

The victims of these brutal attacks were left to pick up the pieces. Forced to explore the gray areas between right and wrong, life and death, their once ordinary lives and mine changed forever.

It kind of gave me a feeling of pending doom.

And all the while, our country found itself facing down a long and ugly reckoning with a growing threat far-right, homegrown religious terrorism. Listen to Flashpoint starting July 25th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts up in Vanis Presents.

Episode 9 starts now.

You're listening to Status Untraced, a production of Tenderfoot TV, in association with Odyssey. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the individuals participating in the podcast. This podcast also contains subject matter which may not be suitable for everyone. Listener discretion is advised.

We used to travel together, we used to eat together, everything which we do in normal life, we used to do together. What happened to him, we don't know.

Dhruv Agarwal was last seen heading to Kirganga on November 9th, 2021, 11 days before our arrival in India.

Did he tell you what his reason was for going up to do the trek?

There is no reason just travel to Kiranga for tourists.

Feeling a lack of response, Abhishek and his uncles launched their own investigation in the Parvati.

The police and rescue teams, they are keeping an eye on us. Many things happened with us, which was very strange. There is something fishy on the track of Kiranga or in the Parvati Valley, something people are afraid of.

What do you think that is?

I am definitely sure my brother was kidnapped and murdered, but I can't prove it.

There's more Abhishek wishes he could say, but he's wary. Tourism is the lifeblood of the Parvati, and speaking ill of it could put a target on his back.

He's the right hand of the drug mafia, he knows everything, every area, every gap, everywhere in the Parvati Valley.

Abhishek.

Sometimes I get the feeling I'm lost, just hiding it is never enough. Now I find in every mirror a ghost, only once I saw the killer.

Once I saw the killer, I closed.

I'm Liam Luksin and this is status untraced.

Korkhan.

Korkhan.

Decked out in military boots and a full camo jumpsuit, Korkhan commands an imposing presence. He controls the room, the one filled with six other guys. I wasn't expecting to be here.

Sorry for that, that I'm saying to you everybody, be in silence, because Sir have to come from America to here. We don't know each other, but they came here and they want to know about Justin.

A lot has been said about the man before me. I'm here to find out if the murderous accusations against him hold any validity. But first, I just want to know some basics. Who is Korkhan, really?

How did you get into search and rescue?

Born to a low-class family in the Parvati Valley, Korkhan explains that he began working as a porter in Malana, the ancient village known for producing the world's best tashish. And to be associated with mafias through various gigs. He eventually launched his business in the late 90s, which, as he boastfully claims, was the first search and rescue service of its kind.

More than 600 boys I have trained.

And everywhere I make one call, they come.

And mostly, this is actually teamwork.

So we are the first we can say father is one.

Understand.

Sure, yeah.

Father is one if they stay with father, good if they go here and there from Father, so it's up to them.

Korkhan essentially just claimed There's a search and rescue hierarchy and he's at the top. Father is one. It's an odd thing to say and leaves me wondering if it's his pride talking or a glimpse into something more threatening. What's really in this man's control in trying to get to the bottom of it? I dig into his process.

How many cases have you done that you remember?

Over 100.

Over 100. And how many of those cases have you been able to find people alive?

Hmm.

Almost mostly alive.

It's very difficult to find them. When you go to Kherganga, you will see if somebody gets missing. We can search for one, two, three days maximum. I think, but still, the family, they force us to look more, look more.

So we can look one week, but more than one week.

Even family say, but we cannot do because we know that we don't find.

I'll repeat his words because it's alarming. We can search for one to three days maximum. I think still, the family they force us to know, look more, look more, so we can look one week, but more than one week, even family say, but we cannot do because we know that we don't find.

Dhruv Agarwal This guy was missing from 9th of November, but I got information in 12th, means there is no anymore, sorry to say this.

Korkan claims he initiated search efforts, but that his work went unpaid.

If they really love their brother Dhruv Agarwal, why they don't pay the money? If they can't pay, tell us they can't pay.

I asked Abhishek if that was true.

Did he charge you for searching for him?

He did not give any bill, whatever he took from us, he took in cash, so we gave him what he demanded.

I bring this up to Korkan and he corrects himself, saying he did receive 500 rupees, which is around 6 u.

So what do you think happened to him?

For that, I tell you, Look, I don't know, I can't say anything. Sorry for me, he's a crazy person.

Labeling a missing soul as crazy is pretty cold. I don't know if Korkan's this open with his clients, but if so, it's no wonder. Dhruv's family, juggling exhaustion and misery, accused him of trading hope for profit. They claimed he billed for searches that appeared nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

So this is what Pyotr told me. He told me that he thought that you were going around places and just sending him photos and you weren't searching. What's the response to that?

If you don't mind if I say that.

Yeah, please.

You are first time here, yeah.

Yeah.

If you come here, you must know where to go, where to stay, to whom you trust.

I guess I hear what you're saying, but from what I'm hearing from Pyotr, he thinks that you are just charging him but not doing anything. I'd like to understand why some people think that.

Mission is with me, I'm handling it, but after they try to do competition, they try to take this mission to you and him, and him and him.

So essentially, your response to you weren't doing anything was that you were, but then they contacted other people and you weren't able to complete your job.

No, no, that's what I'm saying.

I don't know if I just gave Korkanen out, but honestly, I don't think it matters. It's still suspiciously convenient for him to claim incapacity to fulfill his contracts, when all he's dedicating is a mere three days of effort at best. And if that's his modus operandi, it doesn't sound like he's fully transparent about it. I mentioned this three-day bit to Pyotr Mushalik and his friend Tomas, and asked when they hired Korkan if it was ever explained to them.

Did he give you any sort of expectations, and specifically, did he say he was only going to look for three days when you first hired him?

Korkan could be telling me the truth, or this could all be a politician's act. So as he responds, I'm trying to read between the lines, I'm assessing what makes him boastful, what irritates him, and what his reactions reveal. I'm trying to gather as much of a baseline of who Korkan is because I need some idea of how he'll react when I ask if his team is murdering people.

I'm Dan Taberski. In 2011, something strange began to happen at the high school in Leroy, New York.

I was at my locker and she came up to me and she was stuttering super bad. I'm like, stop f***ing around. She's like, I can't.

A mystery illness, bizarre symptoms and spreading fast.

Like doubling and tripling, and it's all these girls.

With a diagnosis, the state tried to keep on the down-low.

Everybody thought I was holding something back.

Well, you were holding something back intentionally.

Yeah, well, yeah, no, it's hysteria, it's all in your head.

It's not physical. Oh my gosh, you're exaggerating. Is this the largest mass hysteria since the Witches of Salem, or is it something else entirely?

Something's wrong here, something's not right. Leroy was the new dateline and everyone was trying to solve the murder.

A new limited series from Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, Hysterical Follow Hysterical on the Wondery app, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+.

The police are helping to me, I'm here, I'm a government employee, I'm a private worker, but I know that how to investigate.

I watch Korkaan as he pours himself a scotch. It's not his first, and it's becoming harder to understand him.

Okay, just in story, you want to know, you want some deep clue.

Yeah, absolutely.

How to talk to people? Because I'm a local person, I'm not going to make a problem.

I'm torn between ending the conversation or pressing on the man before me, confidently. Wearing his mafioso-like personality. Still has much to answer for, but questioning him in this state doesn't feel right.

If I'm going to talk to someone, I'm going to talk friendly and friendly and friendly.

Reluctantly, I choose to step away, and later, when he's sober, I call him, launching straight into the questions that demand answers.

First and foremost, do you have technical training in mountain rescue?

Yes, sir, I do trekking and I train the guys for the mountains.

Has there been a time when somebody else performed the physical rescue and you took credit for it?

I cannot say this.

Okay, you've never done that.

But may I tell you that, okay, if myself is there on the mission, I'm not saying that, okay, every mission I'm there. So I don't take any credit. If somebody say I take the credit, it's not like that they will be jealous. Or they whatever, I don't know, they want to say that I take the credit.

Giving Korkhan the benefit of the doubt, I pose if these rumors could stem from his old prodigies, people who'd benefit to smear him.

No sir, no sir, nobody is stealing my business. I'm not saying that, but this rescue is honest working and we need to trust and believe each other.

Out of all these people that you've trained, all of these students, have you ever had an issue with a student?

No, some of these boys, they work just one or two days with me, so I don't even give them certificate.

What happened on those times? They just didn't follow your rules, or what was it?

I tell you, I have not taken even one rupee from the administration.

When Korkhan is referring to the administration, that's the local government body who sometimes assigns cases to rescue teams.

I'm not taking money from administration and these boys how much money they have taken from administration and how much money they have to....

Sorry, who are these boys that you're talking about?

I think I don't know whoever, but I'm seeing on the Facebook sometimes some boys blaming that administration not giving bill, not getting money and this and that, why are they blaming to the administration? If they see their good work, they will give them everything. Why they go behind me, they go ahead.

Well, less about them, because, to be honest, I feel like you've answered that now. More questions directed more directly to you and your team. Has there ever been an instance when you found a body and you haven't reported it?

With every question I ask, it just sounds like Korkan is flailing. Truly, I appreciate that he's talking with me and that it actually sounds like he's being open, but I'm a little confused by his words. Because I would understand if it's his intent to actually help people, I would understand if he's made mistakes and takes accountability for them. And I would get it if he feels like he's been wronged and painted as a villain for his failures. But when I explain to Korkan that people are saying he's a con man, that he doesn't actually conduct professional searches. And that some people have gone as far as saying. His team hides bodies, dragging out searches for a bigger pay, what does he do? He points blame at the innocent.

Again and again to me. Their family member is requesting to me, the mother is calling to me, sister is calling to me, their relative. Whoever not calling to me. Their uncle is calling me, requesting me and crying on the phone. What can I do?

Alright, listen.

I have one last rumor that I need to ask you about.

No problem. So someone told me that they believe that you or people on your team.

Are making tourists disappear to create more business? What do you have to say about that?

I don't know if it's possible. Just send me the name of these guys, whoever so I can. Or tell them to call to me and they will record the calling and send to you. What is the problem? What they want from me?

Korkhan ends the conversation that day, but will continue to have talks.

You're saying you can look for one to three days maximum. Specifically, going back to Dhruv. Then he went missing, like on the 9th, and the family approached you on the 12th, you know, that's a three day difference already. Did you tell them that, because of your experience, that you no longer felt he was alive?

Yeah.

The thing I'm kind of coming back to is that initial thing that you told me.

So you do look longer than three days sometimes.

But you don't really think that you're probably going to find anything after three days.

It's very difficult, but possible to find any belongings or something. But after that, the families also, they are not satisfied, they say, no, they are here, they are alive.

Yeah.

So it's very difficult.

I don't have evidence that he's guilty of fraud, but his whole ideology of father is one. And to imply that other teams successes are also his success, I think it's just a sign of narcissism.

So, essentially, you kind of see yourself as like a father figure, like the leader.

Of course, that's what I'm saying, if I trust someone, someone trusts me, then we can work together.

What I am certain of, based on his own words, is that he's a man of self-interest. Business first, people second.

When I asked you about the rumors about you, you thought it could be the families that were saying these malicious things. And then you said that you thought that they were crazy. I just wanted to be clear, Do you think that they're crazy?

No, I'm not saying they are crazy, but you know, sir, it's too much stress, this kind of work, and you know, sir. When somebody's family member missing, how many things they have in their mind, how many questions they want to ask, they have to think in every angle. They are free to think that.

I get it. This job is tough, especially in a remote valley in the middle of the Himalayas. He has a valid point there. But still, it doesn't minimize the sorrow felt by Bruno's and Dhruv's family.

Well, thank you, I appreciate you.

Thank you sir, and when you're coming next time, India come, most welcome.

Given what we've learned, I think Justin Alexander's search party made the right choice in refusing Corconn's services. He's not our culprit, he's not a lead, he's just a guy in the rescue business who sounds like he's checked out.

We better get down so that there's less weight on the car.

Pulling onto a farm property, a young Indian man timidly greets us.

How's it going Liam? Nice to meet you? Yeah, absolutely.

He motions for us to sit on log benches around a crackling fire.

After this case.

I'm very disturbed sometimes.

Hemraj Rajput speaks softly, his eyes lost in the flames. Not long ago, he accepted my Facebook friend request and agreed to meet. While he says Justin's case haunts him, he's open to answering some questions.

They were on the way towards Spiti in September.

Sometime in September, yeah, and who all was with him?

How many people were there?

Four or five people from Poland.

Five people from Poland.

Two people from Gujarat.

Two from Gujarat.

How long were you guys in Kurganga before the hike? One night?

One night.

Arshdeep continues to speak with Hemraj in Hindi and asks if he ever met Justin.

He speaks that the only conversation that they had with Justin was when they crossed each other.

Yeah.

Our first confirmation, this hiking group did cross paths with Justin.

How long was the interaction?

20 to 30 minutes.

They never met Justin before they left.

Never.

Okay, so Justin didn't go with him further towards Spiti.

Yeah, he left on his own.

Before they departed, Hemraj says they took the photos with Justin.

The only thing that's related with me and Justin is just the picture that we had when we sat there for a few minutes. Nirmal knew Justin before I said. Where exactly, he said, I have no idea about that because we never asked him how you know him and how you met him before.

Nirmal went with you. Sorry, Nirmal went with you.

Did Nirmal ever separate from the group just to go take photos for a little while or anything that day?

Nirmal was a Gujarati, right?

Was there anybody else that you passed along the trek around that time that you thought was weird?

No.

I believe Hemraj, beyond his willingness to talk, he was the hired guide for this trip, so these weren't his friends who he'd have a motive to protect.

A couple on the trek to Kyrgyzstan, four unknown guys. They tried to rob them. They took 7,000 rupees for them. They hold a knife.

Police have just learned of a knife point robbery that took place earlier this month. The victims did not immediately report the incident, but it's said to have occurred mere days before Dhruv Agarwal disappeared.

There's a rumor that this couple was robbed for 6,000 rupees at knife point.

Yeah, by four guys.

By four guys on the way to Kyrgyzstan, if we're doing this Kyrgyzstan trek.

Yeah, I don't want to get stabbed.

Yeah, I don't want to get stabbed either, but I think we have to do this.

Being among the few Americans here, we already draw attention so to appear like lone hikers and bait some thieves. It's not that it would be easy, it would be stupidly dangerous.

Were there any reports of what these four guys looked like?

Not unless they don't make enough fire. It won't be clear.

Got it? I feel like we have to do this.

I don't feel like we have to do it at all.

Dhruv is also missing.

So we have it.

I'm saying that, like.

The same thing might have happened with Dhruv.

So you're putting yourself in a position to just get stabbed and thrown off a cliff. It's not a smart move.

We just have to stall them.

We'll be like, What do you want?

I don't think there's any stalling.

There's one chance of.

I mean, let's figure out a way for this to be safe, but I think that that's what we should do. I think we should bait them.

Back at the hotel, I continue to push the idea you really want to do this solo?

I think we should try to see if somebody comes out.

I think I really do.

I think this is why we're here. I was thinking, worst case scenario, I'll just slide down the cliff. I can manage to hang on somewhere, but I've got to take that over, getting stabbed.

I thought you just spread anything over getting stabbed.

I think we do it, though.

All right.

All right.

Ready to go?

Okay, let's do it.

Before the crack of dawn, we cram into a rusty jeep geared up for a three-day expedition into the unknown. Weaving through the mountain roads, we soon park atop a concrete dam, the trailhead to Kirganga.

There's the Indian guy who just got lost, that's his CCTV camera.

Right there, on the Yeah.

And so we begin the hike. For the most part, the trail is well paved, a dirt path that snakes through lush pines and ferns, with the Parvati River flowing alongside it. Full of power and fury, even though each step brings us higher into the mountain range, there's many makeshift cafes along route, selling snacks, chai tea and walking staffs.

This is fucking incredible.

As planned, I pick up my pace and walk ahead of the group on the lookout for danger.

What was that? Yeah, take a selfie, let's do it, absolutely.

Talking to myself, the thought is not far from my mind that not everyone has been met with the same friendliness.

We're noticing now a lot of this trail, somebody could easily be hiding up here and jump out and ambush you.

Unscathed, I soon reach the base of a rocky staircase.

Welcome to Kugonga.

That's pretty sick.

How you feeling, Alex?

Sick.

Last little bit wore me out, yeah.

Kugonga is like a war camp out of a medieval movie smoke rises from hundreds of military-style tents, horses graze along tiny streams, and the giant snow peaks cast shadows over it all.

You've been here eight years. Is that what you said?

Kabir and I attempt to strike a conversation with him.

How you doing, where are you from? I feel like everybody else, as I'm assuming, is from India here.

I'm an Indian now, you're an Indian now, yeah.

Where'd you move from?

Russia.

Russia.

He closes his eyes, saying, No more, so, we leave him in peace.

That's Justin.

He never dies. I feel like he overestimated his capacity. Sometimes. India's very powerful. And Justin was going through it. I gotta tell you he was a showman and this disappearing also didn't surprise me.

No, there's not a chance.

He's dead, he's not alive.

He was making it seem.

Like, that was gonna be his last trip.

But he wouldn't have done this to his mother.

It was a team effort, it was both of them, it was a team thing. But haven't you ever had?

That thought of just.

What if I could just dart over?

What if he actually did it?

He said Yeah, you probably won't see me for like, five years.

Everyone asked what happened, and I'd been struggling to make sense of it all until suddenly it's clear.

If you have tips or information.

On the individuals in this podcast that you'd like to share, please email us at statusuntraced at gmail.

Executive Producers.

Are Alex Vestbested, Donald Albright and Payne Lindsey? Producers are Meredith Stedman and myself. supervising producer is Tracy Kaplan.

Consulting producer.

Jonathan Skeels. Associate editors are David Bash and Charles Rosner of GetUp Productions, with additional editing by Sydney Evans, artwork by Trevor Eiler, original music by Makeup and Vanity set. Our theme song is Colder Heavens by Blanco.

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