SHILLONG: A pregnant woman from Mawthawniaw village in the West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya lost her new-born child due to a severe traffic jam caused by a fishing competition at Pamphyrnai lake in Ksehkohlong village recently.
The expectant mother, en route to Shillong to give birth to her third child, went into labour and gave birth inside the vehicle but the newborn did not survive. The mother is currently receiving treatment at Holy Cross Hospital in Mairang, while the child has been laid to rest in her native village of Mawthawniaw.
Sharing her ordeal with the press, the woman said that she is devastated to have lost her baby boy because of the traffic gridlock caused by the fishing competition. She also asked event organizers not to stage competitions near highways.
“I hope these horrific experiences I’ve endured won’t befall others in the future,” she told the press, shedding light on the urgent need for better traffic management and public safety measures during such events.
Earlier, the woman found herself entangled in a traffic snarl at Nongspung village for three hours, approximately 11 km from Nongstoin. Despite desperate pleas from her relatives to clear the way, many vehicles remained unmoved.
Regrettably, their journey encountered yet another traffic bottleneck at Umlieh village, a few kilometers from Pamphyrnai.
Shockingly, reports emerged that even an ambulance was caught in the traffic jam at Pamphyrnai, underscoring the severity of the situation. This tragic incident has sparked outrage among the local community, who have squarely pointed fingers at the event organizers and authorities for apparent negligence.
Responding to the distressing incident, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) and Ri Khasi Sepngi Federation have fervently called upon the district administration to take decisive action against the organisers of the fishing competition. They are also advocating for a ban on organising such competitions near highways and public thoroughfares.
