Lucknow: In a chilling twist to the case of a newly-married couple who went missing during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, police have revealed that the wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, orchestrated the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, a resident of Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Sonam was traced and recovered in a traumatised condition from Ghazipur in eastern Uttar Pradesh late Sunday night. Ghazipur police said she was found weeping and disoriented near a roadside eatery (dhaba) in Ankushapur. Following a call to the emergency police helpline 112 by the dhaba owner, police reached the spot and took the woman to a hospital. After initial treatment, she identified herself as Sonam Raghuvanshi and was shifted to a One Stop Centre for further care.
According to SP City Gyanendra Nath Prasad, Sonam repeatedly asked to speak to her brother but has not been in a state to provide a coherent statement. “She was not in a condition to narrate the events, but preliminary interrogation suggests her involvement in the crime,” the officer said.
Following leads from her recovery, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested three others from Indore in connection with Raja’s murder. The case is now being probed jointly by the Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh police.
The Shocking Sequence of Events:
Raja and Sonam, who had recently married, left Indore for a honeymoon trip to the northeast on May 20. They arrived in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district and last made contact with their family on May 23, just after visiting a temple and Osara Hills near Cherrapunji.
Later that day, their mobile phones were switched off, and all communication ceased. Concerned family members kept calling for two days, with no response. The rented vehicle the couple was using was later found abandoned.
On May 26, the families reached Shillong and filed missing persons reports. The case quickly caught national attention after media coverage highlighted the disappearance.
On May 28, police recovered the couple’s belongings from a homestay. The search operation was intensified with the help of drones and sniffer dogs. Despite several efforts, no breakthrough was achieved until June 2, when Raja’s decomposed body was found at the bottom of a 150-foot-deep gorge near Osara Hills.
Sources said that forensic evidence and location tracking from a scooter the couple had rented helped lead investigators to the body. The remains were sent for autopsy, confirming death by unnatural causes.
“Wife Planned the Murder,” Say Police
In a statement, Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) confirmed that Sonam had allegedly conspired to have her husband killed with the help of others. “We have arrested four individuals, including the wife, in connection with the murder,” the DGP said, adding that more details would emerge after further interrogation.
While the motive remains unclear, police suspect personal discord or financial motives could be behind the killing.
Timeline of the Murder Mystery:
May 20: Couple departs Indore for Guwahati.
May 23: Last seen after visiting temple and Osara Hills. Phones go off in the afternoon.
May 24–25: Family repeatedly tries to contact; no response.
May 26: Family arrives in Shillong, reports case; news goes viral.
May 28: Couple’s bags found at homestay.
May 31–June 1: Police track GPS location of rented scooter; no major leads.
June 2: Raja’s body found in a 150-ft gorge using drone and dog squads.
June 9: Sonam recovered in Ghazipur; four including her arrested.
