A picturesque holiday has become a nightmare with a huge search and rescue mission underway in Meghalaya’s stunning Sohra (Cherrapunjee). Raja Raghuvanshi and wife Sonam, a tourist pair from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, went missing under mysterious conditions as they wandered through the verdant terrains of the Northeast.
The couple had hired a scooter on May 22 and were last spotted towards the iconic double-decker living root bridge in Nongriat. They spent a night at Shipara Homestay and reportedly left without a guide to go to the nearby Mawlakhait village. Their phones last pinged from there — and then, nothing.
What is disturbing is that their scooter was found deserted the following day, with keys in the ignition, by Sohrarim village — with disturbing questions in mind.
More than 60 personnel, such as Meghalaya Police, SDRF, and villagers, are working day and night in the rugged terrain, but nothing has been traced so far. The villagers, spearheaded by the village secretary Paiadonbor Kharpuri, have also been actively contributing, which is indicative of the region’s solidarity and resilience.
This is not the first incident of its kind — only last month, a Hungarian tourist was discovered dead in the same vicinity where he had been missing for 12 days. The trend is spooky and alarming
Public Appeal
Authorities urge anyone with information to contact:
Meghalaya Police Helpline or local Sohra police station.
Photos of the couple likely circulated for identification.
Tourist Advisory
Avoid isolated areas after sunset.
Inform locals/hotels of travel plans.
Hire registered guides for treks/cave explorations
The abandoned scooter is a red flag, but the intensive search raises hopes for a breakthrough. Families and authorities are anxiously awaiting leads.
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