Tura, April 6: Tragedy struck Garo Hills a day after Easter, as two teenagers lost their lives in separate drowning incidents during Easter Monday picnics. The incidents have once again brought renewed focus on calls to curb such celebrations due to the recurring loss of lives each year.
In the first incident, a 14-year-old boy, Yowin Salchado M. Sangma from the MeECL complex in Dakopgre, drowned at Sella Wari on the outskirts of Tura on Monday afternoon. He had reportedly gone for a picnic and entered the water for a swim when he went missing. His body was later recovered.
The second incident occurred at the Damring River, which originates in the Jengjal region. Eighteen-year-old Dedan D. Sangma of Rongdep Adinggre, Jengjal, drowned while swimming at around 3:00 pm. His body was retrieved by relatives before police arrived at the scene.
In a separate incident on the same day, two pedestrians were seriously injured at Selbalgre, about 18 km from Tura, after being hit by a speeding Mahindra Pik-Up vehicle. The driver fled the scene following the accident.
Easter Monday picnics in the region have often been marred by incidents of rash driving, scuffles, and widespread alcohol consumption, frequently leading to drowning cases. While the administration has issued repeated advisories, churches in Garo Hills have long discouraged the practice, stating that such celebrations are not traditionally part of Easter observances.
