By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 29: A British tourist has lauded the Meghalaya Police for their swift, professional, and compassionate response after officers traced and recovered her lost passport within just 24 hours, preventing a potential travel disaster.
The tourist, Roopjani Kumar, had arrived with her family at Guwahati Airport and proceeded to Shillong by taxi. During the journey, she discovered that her passport—kept in a small pouch along with bank cards and cash inside her backpack—had gone missing.
Realising the seriousness of losing travel documents abroad, Kumar was accompanied by her homestay owner to Sadar Police Station in Shillong, where she met Sub-Inspector (SI) Md. Rizwan.
In a heartfelt email to East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, the tourist expressed profound gratitude and admiration for the officers’ efforts.
“From our first interaction, SI Rizwan was calm, patient, empathetic, and reassuring. He listened attentively to my account, helped me reconstruct the journey, and took immediate proactive steps to locate the taxi driver—even without any specific details about the vehicle or driver,” she wrote.
Despite the limited information available, SI Rizwan personally contacted authorities at Guwahati Airport and pursued leads diligently. Within hours, the taxi driver was identified and reached, and Kumar was informed that her passport and belongings were safe. “In less than 24 hours, I had my passport and documents back in my hands—safe, intact, and complete. This level of efficiency, dedication, and genuine humanity is truly remarkable,” she highlighted, noting that such rapid and hands-on assistance is rare even in the United Kingdom due to resource limitations.
Describing the experience as “policing at its very best,” Kumar said she would forever remember the Meghalaya Police for their kindness and support extended to a foreign visitor in distress.
She specifically requested that her appreciation be conveyed to SI Rizwan and all personnel involved, emphasising that their timely help allowed her to continue her travels and return home safely and on schedule.
