Guwahati man dies at Aradonga picnic spot near Assam-Meghalaya border

A man lost his life in an accident on December 23 at the Aradonga picnic spot, located near the Assam-Meghalaya border under Athiabari Police Outpost in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills District. The deceased has been identified as Gautam Ganguly, a 56-year-old resident of Hatat Colony, Rest Camp in Pandu, Guwahati.

Local residents discovered Ganguly’s body in a nearby stream and alerted the police. Athiabari Police Outpost in-charge Samuel Sangma arrived promptly at the scene, recovered the body, and sent it to Riangdo for post-mortem examination. Sangma stated that Ganguly slipped and fell into the stream while walking near it, leading to his death.

Hahim Police Outpost in-charge Lakhi Nandan Boro, who also verified the incident, reported that Ganguly was part of a group of around 60 people from Adabari, Guwahati. They had traveled to Aradonga in two buses to celebrate a picnic organised by their departmental store. According to Ganguly's colleagues, he wandered away from the group while preparations for cooking were underway. Shortly after, local residents found his body in the stream.

Aradonga, a popular picnic destination during the winter season, is situated along the West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya and adjacent to Hahim in Assam’s Kamrup District. The area is known for its picturesque landscape of mountains, trees, and streams. The Aradonga stream flows into the Singra river, which is a tributary of the Brahmaputra.

Despite police and administrative efforts to enforce safety measures, picnic-related accidents remain common in the region during the festive season, which spans from December to mid-February. Thousands of visitors flock to natural sites like Aradonga, but many accidents still occur each year.