Shillong: A 16-day search for 76-year-old Joit Kharlyngdoh ended in tragedy Monday. Foragers hunting for wild mushrooms found her remains in the Krem Motbih Pamske jungle at 2 PM. The site sits 13 kilometers from Mawkyrwat. She had been missing for over two weeks.
Kharlyngdoh was mentally challenged. Villagers searched the woods daily with police help but turned up nothing. Earlier, an MLP K9 CID unit scoured the terrain but failed to find her. This odd detail leads investigators to suspect the body was moved to the site after the initial search. A police official noted, "As of now, we are treating this as a murder case; however, the situation will become clearer once we receive the post-mortem report."
Her son, Remingstone K Lyngdoh, identified the body. Jakrem Myntri Pascal Wahlang confirmed the discovery. South West Khasi Hills police and a Crime Scene Unit processed the area and seized clothing for evidence. They found no other items of interest. The body now rests at the Mawkyrwat Civil Hospital morgue. A post-mortem scheduled for Tuesday should confirm how and when she died.
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