Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday said he is "personally monitoring" the administration and police's efforts to trace a newly married couple from Madhya Pradesh, who went missing in Cherrapunji a week ago.
Raja, a transport businessman and his wife, Sonam, had arrived from Indore to the northeastern state for their honeymoon on May 20. The two were last spotted in Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji, before they went missing on May 23. Sohra is a popular tourist destination in the East Khasi Hills district of the state.
The couple's family has offered a reward of Rs 5 lakh to anyone who can provide information on their whereabouts.
In a video statement, Mr Sangma said it was not just the police and the administration, but the entire local community that were involved in the search efforts. He also said that he has received calls from the Home Ministry and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav in this regard.
"Few days ago, an unfortunate incident happened where a newly-wed couple from Madhya Pradesh had come to Meghalaya, Sohra. We got reports that they went missing. It is a very very unfortunate situation. My counterpart from Madhya Pradesh, the chief minister, has spoken to me. I have received a call from the Home Ministry," he said.
"I have been monitoring this situation personally on a daily basis. The SP as well as the entire administration, and the police force have been on the job 24*7 to find the couple. Not only the administration but the entire village and the community in that area is also participating in this search," he added.
The Meghalaya Chief Minister, however, flagged certain challenges linked to the search operation ahead of the Monsoon season.
"We are using all the possible technology available with us to help us in our endeavour. As you are aware, this is the pre-monsoon era and Cherrapunji and the entire belt is known for heavy rainfall. Hence, it is a very, 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.
He said the couple had rented a bike that was found abandoned on the main road, on the day they went missing.
"It looks like after leaving the bike there, they have gone off road to hike. The area that they went to, both sides have hiking treks, they are very steep. Keeping in mind the monsoon season, the area is very slippery. The search area is very, very big. We are working very hard to trace them. We are hopeful that we will be able to find them," he said.
He reiterated that tourists, especially in Sohra area, are like a family for the people of the state. "Every single village has offered their help. They are tirelessly working along with the administration. We are hopeful that we will get positive results," he said.
Sources said the matter is being probed by the top brass in the state government. Mr Sangma is also in constant touch with the search agencies and concerned authorities, they said.
On Wednesday, Indore MP Shankar Lalwani arrived in Shillong to meet senior police officers, including Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang. In a post on X, he said that ensuring the safety of Indore's citizens is his top priority. He assured that every possible effort is being made to locate the missing couple.
Mr Lalwani said that in his meeting with the DGP, it emerged that tribal residents in the area where the couple went missing are being questioned. He said the rented bike and the couple's belongings were found in different spots.
On Tuesday night, the couple's two bags were found in a ditch near the dense bushes. A day later, the search was briefly halted amid heavy rainfall in the area.
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