In a high-level response to the disappearance of a tourist couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday said an all-out effort is underway to trace the duo who went missing a few days ago during their vacation in Sohra (Cherrapunji), a region renowned for its scenic beauty and steep trekking trails.
“We are hopeful that we will get positive results and we will be able to find the couple. Our efforts are on to do that and I am personally monitoring the whole situation. We are trying our best to find the couple, who went missing 3–4 days back,” Sangma said in an official statement.
Calling the incident “very unfortunate,” the chief minister revealed that he has spoken directly with his Madhya Pradesh counterpart and has also been contacted by the Union Home Minister’s office. He emphasized that the state government is leaving no stone unturned in the ongoing search and rescue operation.
“I am monitoring the situation on a daily basis. The entire district administration and the police force are on the job 24×7 to find the couple. The entire village and the community of the area are also participating in the operation,” he said.
With Sohra currently experiencing pre-monsoon showers and notoriously heavy rainfall, Sangma acknowledged that the challenging terrain is complicating the rescue efforts. “It is a very difficult task as we move along, but we are giving it our best to ensure that we are able to find the couple,” he said.
The couple’s rented bike was found abandoned on a main road, leading investigators to believe they may have ventured off-road on foot. “The history is like this—they had gone to different locations, and the bike they had rented was found on the main road. It looks like after leaving the bike there, parking it there, they have gone off-road, maybe to hike,” Sangma said.
He added, “The area where they have gone—both sides—there are hiking tracks, and they are very steep. And of course, due to the monsoon season, the possibility of slippery areas is also very high.”
Despite the difficult terrain, search teams comprising local police, state disaster units, and volunteers from surrounding villages have been working relentlessly. “The overall area of search is very big, but we are working very hard. The police, the administration, and most importantly, the villagers are all working very hard and we are hopeful that we are able to find them,” the chief minister reiterated.
Highlighting the deep sense of community in Sohra, Sangma expressed his gratitude for the local support, stressing that tourists are treated as family by the people of the region. “For us, our tourists are like our family—and especially in the Sohra area, they have always treated every tourist as part of their own family. Hence, the entire community today is involved in this, and every single village has offered their help and they are tirelessly working along with the administration.”
The government has deployed all available technological tools and resources in the search. As the rescue operations continue against the backdrop of monsoon rains and challenging geography, the state remains hopeful for a breakthrough in the coming days.
