Shillong / Indore / Ghazipur: In a chilling twist to what was meant to be a honeymoon, Raja Raghuvanshi, a recently married man from Indore, was murdered in Meghalaya, allegedly at the behest of his wife, Sonam, who has now been arrested along with three suspected contract killers.
On Monday, Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang confirmed the arrest of four individuals, including the wife, in connection with the case.
“Four persons, including the wife, were arrested in connection with the Indore man’s murder in Meghalaya. She had hired killers,” said Nongrang.
Wife Surrenders, Others Nabbed in Raids
Sonam, who had been missing for nearly two weeks, surrendered at Nandganj police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur. Meanwhile, the other three suspects were arrested in overnight raids, with one nabbed from UP and two from Indore, as per police.
“Sonam surrendered at the Nandganj police station in UP, and was subsequently arrested,” Nongrang confirmed.
“The arrested men confessed that the wife had hired them to kill Raghuvanshi,” she added.
The case is still under investigation, with efforts underway in Madhya Pradesh to trace additional suspects involved in the murder plot.
Body Found, Honeymoon Turns Tragic
Raja and Sonam were last seen on May 23 while honeymooning in Meghalaya. On June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a gorge at Sohrarim near Cherrapunji. Sonam was missing until her surrender.
Local tourist guide Albert Pde told PTI that he had seen the couple accompanied by three other men on May 23 near the Nongriat trail — raising early suspicions of foul play.
Family Seeks CBI Probe
Following the discovery of the body, Raja’s family publicly appealed for a CBI investigation into the case.
“We have written a letter to the Prime Minister requesting a CBI inquiry… The way the Meghalaya police are working on this case, they won’t bring justice to Raja,” said Vipul Raghuvanshi, Raja’s brother, speaking to ANI.
Chief Minister Praises Swift Action
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma praised the police efforts on social media platform X:
“Within 7 days, a major breakthrough has been achieved by the Meghalaya Police… The operation is still on to catch one more assailant.”