Abused in J&K, Meghalaya youth reunited with family

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, May 23: A Meghalaya youth, allegedly abused in Jammu and Kashmir, was reunited with his family on Saturday after a distress call to the 1971 CM Connect helpline made the state government coordinate his rescue through an interstate operation.

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma received Genal R Marak of the East Khasi Hills district’s Lumturi village at Guwahati Airport.

According to an official release, Marak was working at a restaurant in Srinagar for the past three years under allegedly exploitative and abusive conditions.

The release stated that he left Meghalaya at the age of 16 in search of employment after arriving in Shillong, where he later came in contact with an individual who reportedly took him to Kashmir for work at the restaurant. During his employment there, he was allegedly denied wages and subjected to both physical and mental abuse by the restaurant owner and his son.

The government said the turning point in Marak’s ordeal came on April 24 after a distress call was received through the 1971 CM Connect helpline. According to the release, Marak contemplated taking his own life if help had not reached him in time.

Following the complaint, officials from Meghalaya coordinated with law enforcement authorities