Shillong, May 26: Police have intensified search and alerted locals to trace the couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, who went missing since May 23 from a tourist place in Sohra.
East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem told reporters on Monday that the couple-Sonam Raghuvanshi and Raja Raghuvanshi-were seen on May 22 after they had gone to Mawlakhiat village, Elaka Mynteng, near the Double Decker Root Bridge in Nongriat.
They had hired a scooty from Yamaha Service Centre, Keating Road here to reach Mawlakhiat on May 22.
The scooty was hired for four days, the police said.
From Mawlakhiat, the husband-wife duo visited Nongriat with the help of a guide and stayed at Shipara Homestay.
Thereafter, at 5.30 am on May 23, they left the place and returned to Mawlakhiat.
However, their scooty was no longer at Mawlakhiat but it was found abandoned with the key on it near Golden Pines Dhaba at Sohrarim.
According to an official source, the Sohra police station has initiated a search operation for the couple who are tourists and reported missing after their visit to Mawlakhiat village.
The source added that on May 22, the couple arrived at Mawlakhiat village on the rented scooty and engaged the local guide, Bha Wansai, to escort them to Shipara Homestay in Nongriat, where they stayed overnight.
They checked out from the homestay on May 23 morning and returned to Mawlakhiat village. However, no villagers saw them at the parking lot where their scooty was parked, despite heavy tourist activity and numerous vehicles in the area.
The couple’s whereabouts have been unknown since leaving Mawlakhiat village.
On May 24 at 9 pm, the Sordar of Sohrarim reported an abandoned scooty in the village. The scooty’s owner was traced through an E-Challan and informed the Sohra police station on May 25 around 2:30 pm, confirming that the vehicle had been rented to the missing couple.
Relatives of the couple have filed an FIR at Sohra police station and a missing case was registered. A search party has been constituted and by Tuesday morning, three search and rescue teams, comprising police and home guards, will be deployed to locate the missing couple.
