It was supposed to be a romantic getaway—a serene honeymoon in Meghalaya’s misty hills for newlyweds Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi from Indore. But what started as a picture-perfect post-wedding escape turned into a national horror story. On May 23, the couple checked out of their homestay near Nongriat. The next day, Raja’s rented scooter was found abandoned on a remote stretch of the Shillong–Sohra highway. He had vanished without a trace.
The mystery deepened until June 2, when a decomposed body with fatal head injuries was discovered at the base of the Wei Sawdong Falls gorge. Confirmed to be Raja, the brutality of his death pointed towards murder—and the nation braced for what came next. As Meghalaya Police launched a full-blown investigation, they recovered a dao (machete) believed to be the murder weapon and found personal items missing from the body, including Raja’s gold chain, ring, and wallet.
In a shocking twist, Sonam—the very bride presumed lost—surfaced in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, and surrendered to the police. Her claim? That she had been drugged and was a victim herself. But the trail of digital evidence told a different story. Call records, WhatsApp chats, and CCTV footage led investigators to arrest three more suspects—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi—all from Madhya Pradesh. The startling revelation? These men had allegedly been hired by Sonam and her secret boyfriend, Raj Singh Kushwaha, with whom she had been romantically involved before and even after her marriage.
According to the police, Sonam’s betrayal had been meticulously planned. Just days into their honeymoon, she allegedly shared Raja’s live location with the killers, making it easy for them to track and execute him. The motive, investigators say, was twofold: a love affair and financial gain. The hired killers attacked Raja with a machete, pushed his body off the cliff, and fled with his valuables.
As news broke, social media erupted. While Raja’s grieving family demanded a CBI probe and capital punishment for all involved, Sonam’s family claimed she was being framed and insisted she was innocent. The case has since taken on a life of its own—with rival narratives, nationwide outrage, and one remaining accused still absconding.
Currently, all four arrested suspects—including Sonam—have been handed over to Meghalaya Police for further investigation. A special team is actively pursuing the final absconding accused. Meanwhile, the public watches with bated breath as the probe unfolds across multiple states, spanning MP, Meghalaya, UP, and Assam.
This isn’t just a story of a murder. It’s a chilling saga of deception, betrayal, and calculated brutality—playing out against the backdrop of a so-called honeymoon. Stay tuned as the case continues to unravel!
