In a major breakthrough in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, the Meghalaya Police on Tuesday confirmed that two weapons were used to kill the Indore man, and one of the murder weapons—a machete—has been recovered. The search for the second weapon is still underway.
Addressing the media, Superintendent of Police (East Khasi Hills) Vivek Syiem said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) now has a “clear picture” of the murder after a detailed reconstruction of the crime scene.
“We have recovered a sharp weapon which had been purchased by the accused from Guwahati to commit the murder,” a senior police official told ANI. The machete is believed to be one of the two used in the crime.
According to PTI, the SIT visited multiple locations on Tuesday to recreate the sequence of events. “The SIT today visited several places to re-play how the accused did it. We started from the parking lot where they had kept their two-wheelers…We went to the viewpoint, and ascertained who was standing where just before the murder,” Syiem told PTI.
Police have identified that “three blows” were dealt to Raja — the first by Vishal, the second by Anand, and the final fatal blow by Akash. The officers confirmed that a second machete, used during the assault, is still missing and efforts by the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) are underway to locate it.
Syiem further added that Sonam Raghuvanshi, Raja’s wife, moved away from the scene during the assault, after which the victim’s body was thrown into a gorge.
So far, five people have been arrested for the brutal killing, including Raja’s wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, and four others — Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Raj Singh Kushwaha, and Anand — who have been accused of planning and executing the murder.
Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder: Case Recap
- Marriage & Disappearance: Raja and Sonam got married on May 11 and left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Their families reported them missing on May 23 when they failed to return to Indore.
- Body Recovered: On June 2, Raja’s body was found in a gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji). It showed signs of a brutal attack.
- Wife Named Prime Accused: The missing persons case was upgraded to murder, and Sonam was named the prime suspect.
- Surrender & Arrests: Sonam was later found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway and surrendered. Along with her, Raj Kushwaha — believed to be her lover — and three others were arrested.
Police believe the murder was a premeditated plot by Sonam and Raj, executed with the help of their accomplices during the couple’s honeymoon in Meghalaya.