Shillong, May 26: East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem, on Monday provided an update on the ongoing search for two tourists from Madhya Pradesh — Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raja Raghuvanshi — who went missing last week from Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji.
According to Syiem, the two tourists were last seen on May 22. They had rented a Yamaha Cygnus scooter from Keating Road in Shillong and traveled to Mawlakhait. From there, they proceeded to Nongriat and stayed at Shipara Homestay.
“They left Nongriat early in the morning at around 5:30 am the next day and returned to Mawlakhait,” Syiem said. “However, the scooter was not found at Mawlakhait. It was later reported abandoned near Golden Pines Dhaba in Sohra Rim by community members on May 23.”
The abandoned scooter, with the key still in it, was handed over to the local police. Following this, the police control room was alerted, and the couple was officially reported missing by their relatives.
Syiem confirmed that a search operation has been launched. “All stakeholders, including nearby villages and local authorities, have been alerted. Police teams and Home Guards have been deployed to surrounding areas to trace their whereabouts,” he said.
When asked if there is any suspicion of foul play, Syiem stated, “At this point, it’s too early to speculate. Our priority is to locate them. They were last seen in Nongriat and reportedly left early morning. We are trying to trace their movements since then.”
Responding to concerns about this being the second such incident involving tourists in the last two months, the SP said, “It would be premature to draw conclusions. They had rented the scooter for four days, and it’s possible they lost their way.”
Syiem also mentioned that an advisory had already been issued for tourists. “In fact, they had taken a guide from Mawlakhait to Mawriat. However, on their return journey, they were unaccompanied. The scooter being found abandoned with the key adds to the mystery, and efforts are ongoing to locate them.”
Authorities continue to urge locals and travelers in the area to report any information that may help in the search.
