Kwis Sumer of Muktapur village in West Jaintia Hills district, who had been reported missing since July 15 after travelling to Karnataka in search of employment, was safely traced and brought back to Meghalaya following a coordinated search operation involving the Meghalaya and Karnataka police.
The case was brought to the notice of the Meghalaya Government through a formal memorandum submitted on July 27. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma subsequently took up the matter with the Karnataka Government, facilitating interstate coordination and the mobilisation of concerned agencies to trace Sumer.
A Meghalaya Police team led by Lovish Garg, IPS, travelled to Bengaluru along with representatives of Sumer’s clan and coordinated with senior Karnataka Police officers and the concerned Superintendents of Police to reconstruct his last known movements and determine his whereabouts.
A breakthrough came after Sumer attempted to contact his family through social media with the assistance of Kavi Kumar, who had provided him shelter and support during his stay in Karnataka. Acting on the information, the Meghalaya Police, in coordination with the Karnataka Police, traced Sumer to Tiptur in Tumakuru district.
He was taken into the care of the authorities and arrangements were subsequently made for his safe return to Meghalaya. He was received by his family and clan members in Shillong and will be taken to his home in Muktapur.
Sumer expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and all those involved in facilitating his safe return. His clan members also acknowledged the efforts made by the authorities and others involved in the search.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said, “With the help of the Karnataka Police especially the Bangalore Police and the hard work of the Meghalaya Police and other stakeholders, we were able to find him. He is back safely to our State and I take this opportunity to once again thank all those who have played a role, most importantly the police in Bangalore and the Meghalaya Police who ensured that he was found and brought back safely.”
The Chief Minister’s Office placed on record its appreciation to the Karnataka Police, the Meghalaya Police team, civil society organisations, community stakeholders, Dr D. Rockyer L. Nonglait, who facilitated the initial communication with the Chief Minister’s Office, and Kavi Kumar, whose assistance and shelter played a key role in ensuring Sumer’s safety and enabling him to reconnect with his family.
