Shillong, Meghalaya: The Meghalaya government is set to seek the assistance of paramilitary forces in the intensified search for an Indore couple, Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam, who went missing during their honeymoon in the Sohra area of East Khasi Hills district since May 23. This decision comes as ongoing search operations involving approximately 50 police personnel have yet to yield any positive results.
East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem confirmed the consideration, stating, “We are contemplating to call in rescuers from paramilitary forces to trace the couple.” The challenging weather conditions, marked by extremely heavy rainfall and low visibility, have significantly hampered the search and rescue efforts, particularly on Friday. “Sad to say, but the search today did not yield any positive results,” Syiem added.
The couple’s last known movements trace back to May 22 when they arrived in Mawlakhiat village on a rented scooter. They then embarked on a trek of over 3,000 steps down a gorge to explore the famed living root bridges in Nongriat village, where they spent the night at a homestay. Police reports indicate they departed the homestay the following morning. Their scooter was discovered abandoned on May 24 outside a cafe along the Shillong to Sohra road, raising alarms about their disappearance.
The ongoing search operations have garnered attention from higher authorities. Madhya Pradesh MPs Shankar Lalwani and Sumer Singh Solanki recently reviewed the rescue efforts with DGP I Nongrang and Chief Secretary DP Wahlang, expressing satisfaction with the measures undertaken by the state. The current incident also brings to mind a tragic event from earlier this year, when Hungarian tourist Puskas Zsolt went missing after beginning his trek to the living roots bridge, only to be found dead 12 days later, with medical reports confirming a fall as the cause of death.
In light of the prevailing adverse weather conditions, the Meghalaya government has issued a series of safety advisories for tourists. Additionally, the Shillong-Dawki road, currently undergoing construction, has been temporarily closed. The region has experienced widespread disruption to vehicular movement, with numerous reports of landslides and flash floods further complicating the situation.
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