Shillong, June 1 (IANS) The Meghalaya Police, the East Khasi Hills district administration, and the local community continued their hectic search operation to trace the tourist couple from Madhya Pradesh, who have been reported missing since May 24 while visiting the northeastern state’s Sohra-Cherrapunji areas.

East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of police Vivek Syiem on Sunday said that incessant rains, steep and very slippery mountainous areas are very challenging for the search operations.

Heavy rainfall during the past few days and low visibility have become major hindrances for the search and rescue operation, he said.

“We have also deployed drones and sniffer dogs to search for the couple who went missing in the East Khasi Hills district’s Sohra-Cherrapunji areas. Every single villager in the area is now involved in the search operation,” the district police chief told IANS.

The administration might take the help of paramilitary forces to assist in the search operations, he added.

According to police, newlywed Raja Raghuvanshi, 29, and his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, 27, residents of Indore, who were touring Meghalaya, went missing on May 24 from the Sohra-Cherrapunji area in the East Khasi Hills district, a tourist hotspot in the northeast region.

They reportedly arrived from Indore in the hilly state on 20 May for their honeymoon and visited some areas before going to Sohra-Cherrapunji. The couple hired a two-wheeler and visited the picturesque area before their disappearance, the official had said. Their hired two-wheeler was found abandoned near Sohra Rim, 15 km away from Sohra town. The couple’s mobile phones have been switched off since May 24 night.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) last week spoke to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and inquired about the progress of the search operation.

Sangma had said: “We treat the tourists as our family members. People of the Sohra-Cherrapunji areas also treated the tourists as their family members. A large number of villagers are now involved in the search operation.”

“I am personally monitoring the search and rescue efforts constantly,” the Chief Minister had said.

Madhya Pradesh MPs Shankar Lalwani and Sumer Singh Solanki also came to Meghalaya and held meetings with the Director General of Police I. Nongrang, and Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang to discuss the search operations.

–IANS

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