Meghalaya

The body of a 15-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh who fell into a waterfall in Meghalaya's Sohra area while trying to take snaps a day ago was recovered on Thursday morning, officials said. The girl had gone missing on Wednesday after she reportedly slipped while trying to take photographs and fell into one of the deep natural pools at the Wei Sawdong Falls, they said. Search operations were conducted through Wednesday but were called off after sunset.

An interstate ATM theft racket operating across multiple states has been busted following the arrest of six persons linked to a break-in at a banking outlet in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, police said. According to investigators, the accused were involved in a theft at an ATM belonging to Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank on April 5, 2024. The gang allegedly used gas cutters to break open the ATM safe before fleeing with cash within minutes. Police said three of the accused were arrested from Barpeta in Assam, while the remaining three were apprehended from Haryana during coordinated operations involving local police teams. Giri Prasad M, Superintendent of Police of Ri-Bhoi, said a special investigation team was formed to probe the case. He said coordinated efforts with Assam and Haryan...

Wailadmiki Shylla said the Government of Meghalaya will provide a 72-75 per cent subsidy for setting up boutique hotels in Tura and Jowai to address accommodation shortages ahead of the upcoming National Games. Chairing the first meeting of the National Games Secretariat Society in Shillong, the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister said while accommodation capacity in Shillong is adequate, shortages remain in the Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills regions. He said the tourism-linked initiative would help create lodging facilities for athletes and technical officials while also boosting local tourism and entrepreneurship. Shylla said the government does not want to create large-scale infrastructure that may become difficult to maintain after the Games. Instead, locals interested in setting up...

A newborn baby girl was rescued by a schoolboy on the morning of April 27 after she was allegedly buried alive in a village in Ri-Bhoi district. The shocking incident came to light after a 29-second video surfaced on social media, showing the boy desperately digging through the soil to pull the infant out. The baby was immediately taken to a nearby Primary Health Centre (PHC) for emergency treatment. Due to her critical condition, she was later referred to Nongpoh Civil Hospital, where she is currently undergoing medical care. Hospital authorities informed the police soon after the child was admitted. Acting on the matter, police registered a suo motu FIR at Nongpoh Women Police Station. A case has been filed under Section 93 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals...

An interstate racket allegedly involved in ATM thefts across multiple states has been busted with the arrest of six persons in connection with a break-in at an electronic banking outlet in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, police said on April 29. The accused were allegedly involved in breaking into an ATM of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank on April 5, 2024. According to police, three of the accused were arrested from Barpeta in Assam, while the remaining three were apprehended from Haryana. Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Police Giri Prasad M said a special police team was constituted to investigate the case. “With coordinated efforts and assistance from Assam and Haryana Police, we were able to apprehend the accused involved in the ATM break-in,” the SP said. The case was registered at...

A 15-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad district went missing after she allegedly fell into a waterfall at Sohra in Meghalaya on Wednesday, April 29, officials said. The incident occurred at the popular Wei Sawdong Falls, where the teenager had arrived with her family on a vacation. According to officials, the girl reportedly slipped while attempting to click photographs near the waterfall and fell into one of the deep natural pools at the site. Rescue personnel launched an extensive search and rescue operation soon after the incident. Teams continued the operation throughout the day but failed to trace the girl before nightfall. Officials said the operation was suspended after sunset due to poor visibility and difficult terrain conditions. “The search and rescue operation w...

A viral clip of an alleged assault on an Assam-based tourist taxi driver at Khyndai Lad has triggered anxiety among local operators, with many Meghalaya drivers fearing possible backlash from their counterparts in Assam amid a history of tense interstate dynamics. The incident, reported near Khyndai Lad on Tuesday, shows the driver being confronted and allegedly attacked by individuals linked to local taxi operations. In a circulated audio message, the driver is heard appealing to his union back in Assam for support, stating that he had briefly halted his vehicle while waiting for a passenger who had stepped out. He indicated that two individuals questioned him over parking and demanded a fee, and despite agreeing to move, he was threatened. He further conveyed that when he at...

Meghalaya has taken up with Assam the threat of an economic blockade issued by a student organisation in the neighbouring state. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also the Home Minister, said both governments are working to resolve the issue. Stating that there appears to be some misunderstanding between the NGOs and the government, he said he will ensure that no such blockade is imposed against Meghalaya. Tensions on the interstate border escalated as the Phulbari regional unit of Garo Students' Union warned of a "proportionate" counter-blockade against Assam, responding to All Assam Minority Students Union's (AAMSU) call for economic sanctions over the controversial labour entry ban in Garo Hills. The stand-off followed a recent meeting organised by AAMSU at Man...

Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Vincent H Pala on Tuesday dismissed talk of an imminent leadership change in the state unit, asserting that his tenure runs till 2028. Asked about a possible change at the helm and his likely successor, Pala said, “My tenure is not yet over. My tenure will be over till 2028. Once 2028 comes definitely we have to chose someone else…after the assembly elections.” He maintained that any decision on the next state president would be taken collectively. "The party will decide," he said. Pala said the Congress is not short of options to lead the party in Meghalaya.

Meghalaya’s push to strengthen cricket infrastructure received a boost as Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the Indoor Cricket Academy at Kurkalang, as part of a wider rollout of similar facilities across six Northeastern states. The ceremony was conducted from Sikkim, linking multiple venues in a coordinated launch. The Kurkalang facility is expected to serve as a key training centre for players in Meghalaya, with officials and local stakeholders highlighting its role in identifying and nurturing talent at the grassroots level. Addressing the programme, Modi pointed to the need for faster execution of development policies in the Northeast. Referring to the Centre’s Act East policy, he said the country must now focus on “Acting Fast” to drive progress, including ...