Amid heavy rains and difficult terrain, the Meghalaya police along with villagers in and around Sohra are making all efforts to find the tourist couple from Indore, who have been missing for nearly a week now.
In an update today, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said search operations continue apace and a meeting was also held with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, along with two MPs from Madhya Pradesh and family members.
“We attended the meeting and two MPs and family members were present and they had queries and we answered what we are doing and what we found and what’s our way ahead …I can understand family is emotionally charged right now but we have to understand that though all these teams are there but the most important is these villagers who are helping us,” mentioned Syiem.
At least one family member has expressed frustration over what he described as the slow-paced rescue efforts.
Syiem explained to the family that the villagers know the area well where the couple are believed to have gone missing.
Police have been searching for the couple since the scooty they had hired for their trip was found abandoned on May 23. “Search teams have been deployed in all suspected places. The terrain is very difficult and with heavy rains now it’s challenging. Drones are difficult to use so we have requested NESAC (North Eastern Space Applications Centre) using their high powered drones, including thermal drones. The [police] dog squad has even been deployed,” said the SP, adding that the police’s Special Operations Team (SOT) have also been deployed, with two officers of Deputy SP rank assisting the search and rescue team.
“We are leaving no stone unturned and we understand there have been a lot of concerns from families and well wishers,” Syiem said. “Meghalaya police are trying their level best every day, planning where they could possibly be and what exactly happened out there. From mile to mile we have actually ascertained where they went, what they wore, what conversations happened, all that has been ascertained,” stated the officer.
Asked if any plans to expand the search to new areas, Syiem mentioned that they started off from where the two-wheeler was parked places and all places close to Dainthlen are looked and Nongriat-Pyndemdkhar-Mawlakhiat, Mawsahew-Wahkaliar and Weisawdong are where search teams are deployed.
These places have deep gorges, making the search very difficult. The SP recalled how it took them several days to find a Hungarian tourist who went missing earlier this year due to the difficult terrain. Unfortunately, that tourist was later found dead after, it is believed, he drowned.
Meanwhile, one of the MPs from Madhya Pradesh, Shankar Lalwani, said that they have been informed about the search and that they will have to be patient. Asked if they were happy with the search operation, he said that they are doing their best and hopefully the missing couple will be found.
In a separate video message, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma assured that all possible efforts are being made to rescue the couple. Sangma stated that he is personally monitoring the situation and is in touch with his Madhya Pradesh counterpart and the Union Home Minister’s office.
‘CRIME-PRONE HILLS’
Coverage of the missing couple’s case by at least one national media house drew fury here in Meghalaya today. The Times of India published a video about the couple with a caption that mentioned ‘crime-prone’ hills (single quotation marks in the original).
This insinuation that the area is unsafe was condemned by the Meghalaya Mahila Congress. Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh also addressed the matter, asserting that the incident should not be viewed as a reflection of the overall safety situation in the state.
“Sohra is absolutely safe,” said Lyngdoh. “The fact that we already have a robust ecosystem in place is proven by the growing footfalls in the region. Hotels, resorts and homestays are running at full capacity.”
He added that while the government has acted swiftly in launching search and rescue operations. “Meghalaya’s topography is unlike the plains of India. We have regions that are inaccessible, which is precisely why we have natural formations like the living root bridges. Our terrain makes rapid operations difficult,” he explained.
On the family’s complaint that the search operation is going slowly, Lyngdoh said, “He has his opinions, and emotions are running high, understandably. But one must also consider the geographical challenges.”
On whether stricter regulations should be put in place for tourists trekking in rural areas, Lyngdoh acknowledged the need for evolving safety measures. He noted that advisories have already been issued regarding Dos and Don’ts for travelers and emphasised that tourism in Meghalaya is largely community-managed.
“Most tourist destinations here are owned by private individuals or local communities. The government supports them, but it does not own or control these places,” he said. “We are learning every day and will incorporate necessary changes to minimize risks. But tourists must also exercise caution.”
