Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi's romantic getaway in Meghalaya ended in tragedy with Raja's murder, and authorities allege that Sonam conspired with her lover to carry out the crime.
 |
| Raja Raghuvanshi, his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha. Credit _Hindustan times |
The story begins with a honeymoon
In a thrilling twist, newlyweds Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi, married just days ago on May 11, 2025, in Indore, ditched their Kashmir honeymoon plans due to chilling terror threats and ventured to Meghalaya’s breathtaking landscapes instead. On May 22, the daring duo rode a rented scooter to Mawlakhiyat village, boldly descended over 3,000 treacherous steps into the lush valley, and marveled at Nongriat’s iconic ‘living roots’ bridges, spending a magical night in a rustic homestay before their exhilarating departure the next morning, authorities revealed.
Mysterious disappearance
On May 23, around 6am, the couple checked out of their homestay and left for sightseeing on a rented scooter. After that, they lost contact with their families.
The couple’s scooter was found abandoned outside a cafe on the road from Shillong to Sohra on May 24, following which the Meghalaya police launched a search and rescue operation. The operation was affected due to heavy rain in Sohra, officials said.
First major clue: Raja’s body and tattoo identification
On June 2, Meghalaya Police discovered Raja’s heavily decomposed body in a steep ravine near Wei Sawdong waterfall. His face was beyond recognition due to decay, but a tattoo bearing the name “Raja” on his hand confirmed his identity. The autopsy revealed two fatal blows to the head with a sharp object, establishing the case as a homicide.The search for Sonam remained ongoing.On June 4, investigators uncovered further evidence at the site, including a woman’s white shirt, a strip of medication, a shattered mobile phone screen, and a smartwatch. A formal homicide case was then registered.
This was the entire plan to kill Raja
Indore’s Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Dandotiya stated that Raj Kushwaha, 20, who was in a relationship with Sonam, orchestrated the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi on May 18, a week after marrying Sonam. Kushwaha allegedly enlisted Vishal Chauhan, Anand Kumar, and Akash Rajput to carry out the killing.
Sonam convinced her husband to go on a honeymoon to Meghalaya on May 19, and they left the next day.
Sonam and Raj’s big mistake
Everything was unfolding as Sonam had orchestrated—until she slipped up. According to the Meghalaya Police, the first break in the case was the discovery of the machete used to kill Raja. A lead investigator noted, “This machete isn’t typical for this area, hinting at an outsider’s involvement. That led us to dig into the couple’s phone records.”The records revealed that Sonam had been in touch with a hired killer just days before the murder, and her last known whereabouts before vanishing placed her near his location.
Ghazipur SP Iraz Raja reported that Sonam was apprehended at 'Kashi Dhaba' on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. She was taken to Sadar Hospital for medical attention and subsequently placed in a one-stop centre, which offers support to women in distress, including medical and legal assistance.A dhaba worker informed the media that Sonam had requested a phone to contact her parents in Indore, enabling the Madhya Pradesh Police to track her location. This led to coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Police, resulting in her arrest.On Monday at approximately 6:30 pm, a Meghalaya Police team took Sonam into custody from the one-stop centre.Although she was detained at the dhaba, police stated that Sonam surrendered at the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district.
The first person arrested was Rajput from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh. The second was Chauhan from Indore in Madhya Pradesh. The third was Kushwaha, also from Indore," East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said at a press conference in Shillong.
Post a Comment