10 Days On, No Trace Of Missing Indore Couple In Meghalaya; Search Continues

News18

2 days ago

Last Updated:
The Meghalaya government is mulling to call in paramilitary forces to assist in the search for the Madhya Pradesh couple who went missing in the state while honeymooning.
Ten days have passed since newlywed couple from Indore – Raja Raghuwanshi (30) and Sonam Raghuwanshi (27), who came to rain-soaked hills of Sohra (Cherrapunji) for their honeymoon – went missing, and still there is no sign of them.
The search operation for them is still underway as about 50 individuals consisting of police personnel, SDRF teams as well as local villagers are searching in the dangerous cliffs and forests for the newlywed couple near Shillong, the officials said.
In addition, K9 sniffer dogs and drones have been deployed to locate them in difficult to reach areas.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya government is mulling to call in paramilitary forces to assist in the search for the missing couple. 'We are contemplating to call in rescuers from paramilitary forces to trace the couple," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem told news agency PTI.
The family has also announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for anyone who comes up with information about their whereabouts.
How The Couple Went Missing?
Raja was a 30-year-old transport businessman, who had married Sonam merely weeks ago. The duo embarked on their honeymoon on May 20, where Guwahati was their first stop.
The couple arrived in Mawlakhiat village on May 22 on a rented scooter. They trekked over 3,000 steps down the gorge to visit the famous living root bridges in Nongriat village, where they stayed the night, according to police.
On May 23, the family last heard from them. The family members said that the mobile phones of the couple were switched off after their last conversation.
The fear turned into panic when the couple's rented scooter was found abandoned near Osara Hills in Sohra Rim — a far-off area known to be dangerous and linked to criminal activity. Two of their bags were later found partly hidden in bushes inside a nearby gorge on last week.
The places where their scooter, bags, and last tea stop were found are far apart, making the situation even more puzzling.
The authorities are now narrowing down their search near a gorge close to the Root Bridge, nearly 50 km from the capital city of Meghalaya.
Madhya Pradesh MPs Shankar Lalwani and Sumer Singh Solanki reviewed the rescue operations with DGP I Nongrang and Chief Secretary DP Wahlang, and expressed satisfaction with the efforts.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has assured that the state machinery is doing everything to trace the couple and he is personally monitoring the operation.
However, due to heavy rains across the North Eastern Region and more so in Sohra for the entire past week has made it difficult for teams to move forward or go deeper into forests, near streams and various trekking routes.
Earlier this year, Hungarian tourist Puskas Zsolt went missing soon after he started his trek to the living roots bridge. His body was found dead 12 days later. Medical reports indicated that he died due to a fall.
The state government has issued a slew of safety advisories for tourists in view of the bad weather conditions.
The Shillong-Dawki road, where construction work is underway, has temporarily been closed. Vehicular movement was affected across the region, with landslides and flash floods being reported from many places.
(With inputs from agencies)