Shillong: In May, after getting married in Indore, newlyweds Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi disappeared while on a honeymoon in Meghalaya, and Raja’s body was later discovered near Sohra after a search, but Sonam could not be found.
Raja Raghuvanshi, 29 and Sonam Raghuvanshi, from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, came to Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon after their wedding on May 11. On May 22, after finishing their trek to see the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, the couple stayed at Shipara Homestay in the Nongriat village, East Khasi Hills. On May 23, accompanied by a local, they travelled back to the village following a morning checkout to get their scooter.
After they left, no sightings of them were ever confirmed, and ten days later, their scooter was found close to a café along the Shillong-Sohra Road, about 15 km from Sohra town. Immediately, a significant effort began, involving local police, community members and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). It was on June 2 that, following 11 days of hindered search, the decomposed body of Raja was found in a 100-foot gorge by the Weisawdong Falls, and he was recognised by the “Raja” tattoo on his right hand.
The police concluded that Raja’s death was not accidental, as they found a newly acquired machete at the scene, indicating his murder. Sonam has not been found, and search teams are focusing on the gorge and areas around it for about 1-2 km. Things found close to where Raja’s body was found, for instance, a white shirt, a smartwatch, a broken mobile screen and Pentra 40 tablets, may suggest Sonam was there during the attack.
The recording, allegedly made on May 23, shows Sonam was exhausted during a hike. “Right now we’re making our way up the expensive part of forever.” I had advised him not to go, though he always does what he wants. She said, “I’m all tuckered out,” and also talked about her fasting for Ekadashi. Sonam abruptly ended the call, promising to reach out again. The audio evidence could not confirm whether the clip was authentic.
Vipin Raghuvanshi, Raja’s brother, requested a CBI investigation, alleging his brother’s kidnapping and subsequent death. We found Hernando’s body 25 km away from the scooter’s parking spot. We are certain that they did not die by suicide. According to the family, gold jewellery, a wallet, and a phone were missing, and they suspect someone broke in. Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Mr Vivek Syiem, confirmed that the case is homicide and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been created to investigate possible reasons, reportedly including an altercation with a local coffee vendor.
The search and rescue effort was challenging due to Sohra receiving 500 mm of rainfall in just three days, which is equivalent to the total annual rainfall in Mysore. Mohan Yadav and Amit Shah helped Conrad Sangma step up actions, and Shankar Lalwani talked to Meghalaya’s DGP about how to accelerate progress.
The killing of Raja Raghuvanshi and the disappearance of Sonam during African safaris have persisted for several days, sparking national protests and raising concerns about the security of travellers in remote areas of Meghalaya. The investigation and rescue efforts reveal the need for increased measures to safeguard travellers on challenging routes.
Comments are closed.