Shillong, Aug 4: In a tragic accident, five members of a family lost their lives after the vehicle they were travelling in plunged into a 70-foot-deep gorge at Rngain in East Khasi Hills late Sunday night.
Police suspect that a heavy landslide, triggered by continuous rainfall and fog in the area, may have caused the driver to lose control, sending the Maruti Alto off the road and into the gorge.
A rescue team from the police department reached the site early Monday morning to recover the bodies and retrieve the wrecked vehicle.
The deceased have been identified as — Alida Marbaniang (65) – the mother, Meban Ador Marbaniang (28) – son, Aimiki Marbaniang (23) – (son), Risbun Kurbah (22) – (wife of Meban Ador) and Damebanshngain Kurbah (1.5 years) daughter.
All five victims belonged to a single family from Lyngkyrdem village in Laitlyting.
