West Khasi Hills probes toddler death after road conditions block medical care

Shillong: A three-year-old child from Domkyrkoh village died while his parents carried him on foot toward medical help. West Khasi Hills officials are demanding answers. They ordered the Block Development Officer, the District Medical and Health Officer, and the PWD Executive Engineer to submit reports on the incident.

Villagers claim the family trekked for three hours toward Mawdet because drivers refused to enter Domkyrkoh. Heavy rain frequently destroys the road from Mainop. Transport is scarce. Local accounts say the parents spent an entire night searching for a ride before they started walking. The administration said a transport scheme for emergency transfers exists, but health workers never got the call. "Villagers had earlier claimed that the family was forced to travel on foot after vehicles were reportedly unwilling to enter the village because of the poor road condition."

Domkyrkoh relies on the Mawkhiat Sub-Centre. It sits ninety minutes away by foot. A health team will visit the village on October 6 to study the gaps in emergency response and care. Officials also point to a sanctioned Rs 25 crore road project connecting the Rambrai-Mawrok PMGSY Road to Nonglang. This CRIF project aims to fix the connectivity nightmare. The district office says it will monitor the situation closely until the reports arrive.