Table of Contents
- 1 🏔️ 1. Prologue – Promises Against a Foreboding Backdrop
- 2 Might this tragic story reveal more than unimaginable betrayal?
🏔️ 1. Prologue – Promises Against a Foreboding Backdrop
On 11 May 2025, in the heart of Indore, joy overflowed as Raja (29) and Sonam Raghuvanshi (24) exchanged vows. Friends spoke of Sonam’s radiant smile and Raja’s protective calm. Their dreams soared, and a week later, they boarded a flight to Northeast India, eager to start a romantic honeymoon amidst Meghalaya’s lush landscapes.
But by 23 May, their story turned dark. The couple vanished while exploring Sohra’s living root bridges—an idyllic fairytale transformed by a chilling betrayal.
🗓️ 2. Timeline of a Tragedy
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11 May: The joyous wedding in Indore.
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20 May: The couple travels to Meghalaya.
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22 May: They trek to Mawlkhiat and the famed living root bridges at Nongriat.
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23 May (10 AM): A local guide, Albert Pde, notices them descending with three Hindi‑speaking men—the final sighting of Raja.
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24 May: An abandoned rented scooter is found along the Shillong–Sohra route.
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2 June: Raja’s decomposed body is found beneath Wei Sawdong Falls, bearing two fatal head injuries from a sharp weapon. A blood-stained machete, phone, raincoat, and gold jewellery were found at the scene.
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2–8 June: A high-intensity manhunt unfolds. A Special Investigation Team is formed, assisted by the SDRF, NDRF, central intelligence, and drone units.
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9 June: Sonam Raghuvanshi is found disoriented and arrested at a dhaba near Ghazipur on the Varanasi–Ghazipur highway. Arrests of four others—including her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and three hired assailants—are made across MP and UP
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10 June: Sonam Raghuvanshi and co-accused are transferred to Shillong on transit remand; the investigative puzzle enters its most intense phase.
🔍 3. The Unravelling Conspiracy
A. The Guide’s Key Role
Albert Pde’s account was pivotal:
“The four men were walking ahead while the woman was behind… conversing in Hindi”
His report shifted suspicion from a random disappearance to a planned murder plot.
B. Weapon & Wounds
A machete—a weapon not native to Meghalaya—left bloodied marks and two deep wounds on Raja’s head. A raincoat and phone nearby added grisly context.
C. Live Tracking Through Love
Investigators claim Sonam shared live location data—sometimes near Guwahati’s Kamakhya Temple—with Raj Kushwaha. Her referrals to extend the Shillong leg of their honeymoon and her insistence on trekking routes played critical roles.
🕵️♂️ 4. The Accused & Their Dynamics
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Sonam Raghuvanshi
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Allegedly orchestrated the murder, arranged payment between ₹4–20 lakh, and provided logistical guidance.
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Arrested in UP, claimed she was drugged and only called her brother from the dhaba. The family is demanding a CBI probe.
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Raj Kushwaha
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Sonam’s alleged lover and Raja’s brother’s employee, suspected to be the mastermind behind the murder.
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Despite claims of grief, he quietly drove mourners to the funeral.
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Contract Killers
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Akash Rajput (21, UP), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22, MP), and Anand Kurmi (23, MP) were arrested following an extensive operation involving 120+ officers in “Operation Honeymoon”
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They reportedly confessed to being hired by Sonam Raghuvanshi
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🚨 5. Multilayered Investigation & Legal Proceedings
A formidable SIT, aided by SDRF, drones, and cross-state coordination, unearthed CCTV footage, mobile trails, and eyewitness statements—collectively weaving together a complex timeline.
Police claimed they had suspected Sonam since 3 June, a day after the body was recovered in a gorge.
Sonam Raghuvanshi and the accused are now in transit remand in Shillong, facing interrogation and court proceedings. Raja’s family, devastated, is demanding capital punishment while Sonam’s father continues to challenge the narrative and demands a federal CBI investigation.
🧠 6. Motives & Public Reaction
A. Love Versus Betrayal
A purported love triangle: Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly rekindled a relationship with Raj post-wedding, then plotted her husband’s murder during a post-marriage ritual return to her parents’ home.
B. Technological Threads
Live location-sharing and extended travel plans serve as modern triggers, turning a romantic honeymoon into a trap laid with surgical precision.
C. National Outrage
The community’s shock is profound, mourning a betrayal masked as love. Families argue over the narrative; some demand CBI intervention, others call it cold betrayal. Meghalaya’s chief minister even praised the police for their diligence.
💭 7. What Lies Ahead
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Ongoing investigations in Shillong will scrutinise money trails, digital communications, and forensic tests.
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Court proceedings are expected to begin soon, with strong public interest in Sonam’s motive and the evidence against her.
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Potential implications: This case may prompt renewed scrutiny of travel safety for couples, especially involving GPS‑based trail sharing and digital movement profiles.
Might this tragic story reveal more than unimaginable betrayal?
From vows of love to the valley’s abyss, this case is a haunting reminder that trust, once shattered, echoes louder than any scream. RecentFeeds.com will cover every twist—stay tuned.
Sources:
All information has been compiled from credible public news sources and is accurate as of June 10, 2025.