By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 20: Two persons lost their lives after being trapped inside a Mahindra Bolero Camper when massive boulders crashed onto the vehicle following a landslide at Mawlieh along the Shillong–Dawki Road around 5:30 pm on Monday.
The incident occurred before Lyngkyrdem on the route to Pynursla — a stretch notorious for landslides due to ongoing road widening and hill-cutting works.
The victims, residents of Lumwahnai near Pynursla, were returning home from Shillong after buying groceries when loose earth suddenly caved in, triggering the boulder fall.
Rescue teams worked late into the evening to clear heavy debris and reach the vehicle. A senior police official said, “Our teams are working to remove the boulders and retrieve the victims’ bodies.”
The Mawlieh section has long been flagged as high-risk due to unstable slopes and narrow roads. Locals have raised concerns over recent blasting operations for the road project, alleging that loose rocks were not properly cleared.
This is the latest tragedy on the corridor. Similar incidents include a 2023 boulder crash that killed two, including a village head, and a 2025 accident in which five people, including a pregnant woman and a toddler, died after a vehicle plunged into a gorge.
Efforts to retrieve the bodies were ongoing at the time of filing of this report.
