SHILLONG, June 9: In a shocking revelation, Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) I Nongrang on Monday said that Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi was allegedly murdered by men hired by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, during their honeymoon in the state’s Sohra region.
“Sonam surrendered at Nandganj police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district and was subsequently arrested,” said Nongrang, adding that three other suspects were apprehended in overnight raids—one from Uttar Pradesh and two from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The couple, who had married on May 11 and arrived in Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon, went missing from Mawlakhiat village on May 23. A search operation was launched after their rented scooter was found abandoned on May 24 along the Shillong–Sohra road.
Raja’s body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge near Weisawdong Falls. According to police, his gold ring and neck chain were missing. A bloodstained machete was found the next day, and a raincoat resembling the couple’s was recovered from Mawkma village two days later.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma lauded the swift action by law enforcement. “Within 7 days, a major breakthrough has been achieved… Three assailants have been arrested, the woman has surrendered, and one more accused is being tracked. Well done #MeghalayaPolice,” Sangma posted on X.
Uttar Pradesh ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash confirmed Sonam’s detention at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. She was taken for medical evaluation and kept at a one-stop centre—facilities meant to assist women in distress.
Tourist guide Albert Pde, who had interacted with the couple on May 22, told PTI he saw them the following morning with three men who were speaking in Hindi, indicating they were from outside the region. “They were climbing the 3,000-step trail from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat. I had offered them my guide services the day before, but they had hired someone else,” he said.
DGP Nongrang said that the accused men confessed during interrogation that Sonam had contracted them to carry out the murder. “The investigation is ongoing in Madhya Pradesh to arrest additional suspects,” she said.
Despite the breakthrough, both families have pushed for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Raja’s family expressed concern over the brutal nature of the crime, while Sonam’s father, Devi Singh, alleged foul play in her disappearance. “My daughter has been abducted and is still in the clutches of her captors. Meghalaya Police have failed us from the beginning,” he said, claiming that Army intervention might have prevented the tragedy.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to initiate a CBI inquiry into the case.
A special investigation team (SIT), led by a Superintendent of Police and four Deputy Superintendents, continues to handle the probe. Police said one more suspect remains at large.
