NEW DELHI: The police got a major breakthrough in the murder of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya after arresting his wife, Sonam, along with three other accused. According to police, Sonam allegedly orchestrated the killing with the help of hired assailants. The arrests were made following intensive investigations, and the case continues to unfold.Teams from the Meghalaya and Indore police are expected to reach Ghazipur today to continue the investigation. Police will escort Sonam to Meghalaya to recreate the crime scene where Raja Raghuvanshi was found dead.The arrest was made with coordination between local and Meghalaya police, involving three state police forces in the investigation.Here’s a detailed breakdown of what has unfolded so far:Raja and Sonam Raghuvanshi, newlyweds from Indore, arrived in Meghalaya for their honeymoon in May. On May 22, the couple reached Mawlakhiyat village and undertook the steep 3,000-step trek to Nongriat, known for its iconic living root bridges. They spent the night in a homestay and were last seen checking out the next morning.Their rented scooter was later found abandoned on May 24 near a cafe along the Shillong–Sohra road. After days of no contact, Raja was reported missing.Body found in gorgeOn June 4, Raja’s decomposed body was found inside a deep gorge near Weisawdong Falls. His identity was confirmed by a tattoo on his hand—“Raja and a lady”—and a waterproof smartwatch he had borrowed from his brother. Missing items included his wallet, four mobile phones, and gold jewellery.Police recovered a raincoat believed to belong to the couple in nearby Mawkma village and later found one of Raja’s mobile phones.Raja was killed using macheteA ‘dao’ (machete) believed to be the murder weapon was recovered by the East Khasi Hills police. SP Vivek Syiem confirmed that the machete was newly purchased and used solely for the crime. A case of murder and destruction of evidence was registered, and the police indicated that the probe was being treated as a top priority.The post-mortem report is awaited to determine if Raja was killed before or after falling into the gorge.The twist: Wife hired killersOn June 9, Meghalaya director general of police I Nongrang revealed a chilling development, Raja’s wife, Sonam, had hired the assailants. She surrendered to police at Nandganj Police Station in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh.Three more suspects, all men, were arrested in overnight raids—two from Indore and one from UP. The accused reportedly confessed to the murder-for-hire plot during interrogation.Meghalaya govt deploys drones; operation paused due to poor visibilityThe Meghalaya government deployed drones to assist in the ongoing search operation carried out by the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, SRT, Fire and Emergency Services, Special Operations Team, Special Investigation Team, and local volunteers on June 6 (Friday). The operation was conducted in inclement weather and challenging terrain in an effort to locate the missing woman from Indore.The search was called off in the evening due to foggy weather and poor visibility and was scheduled to resume on Saturday.CCTV footage shows couple checking out of a hotel CCTV footage emerged showing an Indore couple checking out of a hotel in Meghalaya shortly before their mysterious disappearance last month. The video, captured on the evening of May 22, was the last confirmed sighting of Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam before they travelled to Sohra (Cherrapunjee), where Raja’s body was later found in a deep gorge.The newlyweds reportedly left their luggage at a hotel in Sohra and proceeded towards Maulakaya village. They were not seen again.Raja’s decomposed body was found at Weisawdong Falls.Conrad K Sangma praises Meghalaya policePolice say the operation to apprehend all involved is ongoing, with further arrests likely. Chief minister Conrad K Sangma praised the Meghalaya police for cracking the case and called the breakthrough significant.
