The Meghalaya honeymoon murder case has taken a dark turn with the arrest of Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of the deceased Raja Raghuvanshi, along with three alleged contract killers. What initially appeared to be a missing persons investigation has unraveled into a carefully orchestrated murder plot, shocking the nation.
According to Meghalaya Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang, Sonam allegedly confessed to plotting her husband's murder during their honeymoon in Shillong. It is alleged that she hired assailants to carry out the gruesome act. Sonam was apprehended in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, while the three alleged hitmen were arrested separately.
The couple had gone missing on May 23rd, and Raja's body was later discovered in a gorge. The Meghalaya police, with assistance from the NDRF, conducted a major operation to solve the case. The investigation revealed that Sonam allegedly had an affair and hired the hitmen to eliminate her husband.
The sequence of events leading up to the murder is chilling. On May 23rd, CCTV footage captured Raja and Sonam arriving at Manha Hotel in Saitsohpen, Sohra, on a scooter, carrying a small suitcase. Unable to secure a room, they left the suitcase at the hotel and departed. It is believed that Sonam then led Raja to a deserted road where the hired hitmen were waiting.
A blood-stained machete and a raincoat resembling the one Sonam was seen placing in the scooter were recovered from the scene. Additionally, a woman's white shirt, a strip of medicine, a part of the LCD screen of a mobile phone, and a smartwatch were seized at the spot, leading to the registration of a homicide case.
Following her arrest, Sonam was found at Kashi Dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road in Uttar Pradesh. She was sent to Sadar Hospital for initial treatment and then kept in a One Stop Centre. Police also arrested Akash Kumar from the Mahrauni police station area in Lalitpur.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma congratulated the state police for cracking the case. He posted on X, stating that a major breakthrough had been achieved within seven days, with the arrest of three assailants from Madhya Pradesh and the surrender of Sonam. He also mentioned that the operation was still ongoing to catch one more assailant.
The owner of Kashi Dhaba in Ghazipur reported that Sonam had arrived at his outlet around 1 am and requested to use his phone to call her family.
The investigation is ongoing, with teams from both Meghalaya and Indore police expected to arrive in Ghazipur to continue the investigation and escort Sonam to Meghalaya. The case has sparked intense public interest, with many closely following the developments as more details emerge about this tragic honeymoon murder.
