The chilling details of Raja Raghuvanshi's murder in Meghalaya continue to emerge, with police investigations revealing a meticulously planned conspiracy orchestrated by his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, and her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha. According to police sources, Sonam was determined to kill Raja and had even devised a backup plan to push him off a mountain herself if the hired killers failed.
The couple's honeymoon in Meghalaya took a sinister turn when Raja's body was discovered in a deep gorge on June 2, ten days after they checked out of their homestay in Nongriat village. Police investigations quickly pointed towards foul play, with Sonam and Raj emerging as the prime suspects.
A key element of the murder plot, as revealed by investigators, involved Sonam convincing Raja to visit the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati before heading to Meghalaya. This suggestion, presented under the guise of seeking blessings and showing respect, served a dual purpose: it allowed Sonam to delay consummating the marriage and provided her with additional time to finalize the murder arrangements.
Sources indicate that Sonam began plotting Raja's murder shortly after returning to her maternal home in Indore on May 15, just four days after their wedding. From there, she booked travel tickets and coordinated the entire plan with Raj over phone calls. Police allege that Sonam paid ₹20 lakhs to the three contract killers she allegedly hired for the murder of her new husband. The hired killers have been identified as Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), Akash Rajput (19), and Anand Kurmi, friends of Raj Kushwaha.
On May 23, the day Raja was murdered, the couple embarked on a trek in Meghalaya. They were accompanied by a local tour guide and, unbeknownst to Raja, the three contract killers. As the group walked, Sonam allegedly made a phone call to Raja's mother, attempting to create a false sense of normalcy. Later that day, Raja was attacked with a machete and his body was dumped in a gorge near the Wei Sawdong Waterfalls.
Following the murder, Sonam went missing, only to resurface on June 8 when she surrendered at a police station in Uttar Pradesh. Raj Kushwaha and the three alleged contract killers have also been arrested and are currently in transit custody of Meghalaya Police.
The autopsy report of Raja Raghuvanshi confirmed that he died from two sharp cuts to the head. Police have recovered a bloodstained machete and a black field coat, believed to be linked to the crime.
Raja's family is demanding the strictest punishment for all those involved in the murder. His father has called for a social boycott of Sonam's family from the Raghuvanshi community.
