Gangtok, Jan. 1: The family members of the college student from Calcutta who went missing in a forest area in West Sikkim on December 27 have requested police to intensify the search operation for the youth.

Bishwadeep Acharya, 23, reportedly went missing near Bakhim while he was out for a Dzongri-Goechala trek.

A search operation has been on from December 28 to trace the youth from Jharkhand.

'It has been almost a week that my brother has gone missing and we are worried. We request the state police to intensify the search operation with more police deployment,' said Tanmoydeep Roy, Bishwadeep's cousin.

Yesterday, four members of Bishwadeep's family, including two of his cousins, reached Yuksom village in Sikkim, from where the youth had started the trek.

Bishwadeep and three other trekkers had set out on the eight-day trip along with a guide and two cooks.

West district police and local people continued the search operation today as well.

'We have sent 16 people for the operation. Out of them, three are policemen and the rest are local people who are experts in trekking. So far, we have not received any information about the youth. The team will put up a camp in the forest area and continue the search. We understand the plight of the family,' said the inspector-in-charge of Tikjuk police station, Mahendra Pradhan.

Bakhim forest is in Tikjuk police station area.

The managing director of Red Panda Tours and Treks that had organised Bishwadeep's trip, Dhan Raj Gurung, said more villagers would be included in the search operation if required.