An infant died in his mother’s arms while the family was walking to medical treatment, according to a report from The Shillong Times. The child, who was ill, was carried on foot for almost three hours from Domkyrkoh village in the Rambrai C&RD Block of West Khasi Hills.
During the night the parents tried to secure a vehicle, but drivers who were contacted refused to enter Domkyrkoh, citing the poor condition of the road. They advised the parents to bring the child to Mawdet instead.
With no vehicle willing to come, the parents set out the next morning on foot. The infant passed away before they could reach Mawdet, and the family returned to Domkyrkoh to attend to the loss.
The tragedy has drawn attention to the road and emergency care access in the region. A 10‑kilometre, Rs 25‑crore road linking Mainop, Mawiong, Rambrai and Domkyrkoh is planned to improve connectivity to hospitals and markets. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had earlier laid the foundation stone for the project.
