From Our Correspondent
MAWKYRWAT, May 29: After four days of continuous search, residents of Lawblei village on Thursday spotted a body floating on the Umngi River in South West Khasi Hills. The body is suspected to be that of the youth who recently went missing while fishing in the area.
Local residents reported that the body, which was stuck between two rocks, was discovered this morning. Upon spotting it, they immediately informed the Mawkyrwat Police and sought assistance to retrieve it.
“We tried our best to find ways and means to retrieve the body, but we couldn’t do anything because of the strong current and risky terrain,” said a local resident, adding that the police were also unable to recover the body due to the difficult conditions.
Official sources confirmed that after receiving the information, a team from the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES), Mawkyrwat, rushed to the spot but was unsuccessful in retrieving the body.
“We also immediately informed the Search & Rescue Team (SRT) in Shillong. They reached Mawkyrwat, but since it was already nightfall, they could not begin the rescue operation,” sources said, adding that the team will resume operations tomorrow morning.
On May 25, 22-year-old Sainkupar Lyngkhoi from Lawblei village, located about 15 km from Mawkyrwat, was reported to have drowned after he slipped and fell into the Umngi River while fishing at a location known as Shar-Shar, which lies approximately 2 km downstream from the Umngi Bridge along the Mawkyrwat-Shillong road.