Some stories will slam you with all the force of a punch to the gut, and the Meghalaya honeymoon murder case was one of those. Here we have a newlywed couple, off to the mist-shrouded hills of Meghalaya for what should have been a romantic escapade, but instead it all amounted to a tale of treachery and baseness that shocked everyone.
Twenty-eight-year-old Raja Raghuvanshi of Indore was found dead in a gorge, and his new bride, Sonam Raghuvanshi, is charged with perpetrating the murder. You have to wonder how love can turn so dark so quickly, and how easily it can lead to murderous betrayal.
A Dream Trip Gone Wrong
Raja and Sonam were married in Indore on May 11, 2025. He was a transport businessman on the rise; she was 24 and stepping into a new life. By May 20, they were in Meghalaya in the Sohra area, famous for its magnificent waterfalls and lush green countryside. They were staying in a warm homestay in Mawlakhiat village, making memories. By May 23, they had disappeared. The couple’s rented scooter was later discovered outside of a café on the Shillong-Sohra road, and concern began to grow. Nothing unveiled till 2nd June, 2025, and after that, the event came to light that shook everyone, Raja’s body was found in a ravine near the Weisawdong waterfalls, badly decomposed. The autopsy showed a savage attack: two blows to the head, one from the front and one from the back. It was no accident. Raja’s gold ring and chain were missing, which suggested robbery, but as it turned out, there is a far worse story. Meanwhile, Sonam was unaccounted for, prompting a multi-state search
The Plot Thickens: A Wife’s Alleged Scheme
Here’s where it gets chilling. On June 9, Sonam turned up at a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway in Uttar Pradesh, over 1,200 kilometres from Meghalaya. She walked into the Nandganj police station, claiming she’d been drugged and had no idea how she got there. But the police weren’t convinced. Meghalaya authorities dropped a bombshell: Sonam, the grieving widow, was their prime suspect, accused of hiring hitmen to kill her husband just days after their wedding.
The motive? A tangled love affair. Police say Sonam was involved with 21-year-old Raj Kushwaha, who allegedly planned the murder from Indore while his accomplices did the dirty work in Meghalaya. It’s the kind of betrayal that makes your stomach turn—a woman leading her husband to his death under the pretence of a honeymoon.
The Killers: A Crew of Cold-Blooded Accomplices
The investigation uncovered a web of deceit involving five suspects. Three men—Akash Rajput, 19, Vishal Singh Chauhan, 22, and Raj Singh Kushwaha, 21—were nabbed in raids across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A fourth, Anand Patel, was caught in Basari. Police say Sonam and Raj Kushwaha paid these men ₹50,000 and gave them a phone to track the couple’s movements. The killers travelled from Indore to Bihar, then Guwahati, and finally Meghalaya, using Sonam’s shared location data to close in on Raja.
Raj Kushwaha, the alleged mastermind, had the gall to hang around Sonam’s family in Indore while the police hunted for her. Akash Rajput, a college grad linked to Sonam’s brother’s business, confessed to his role, sealing the group’s fate. It’s a sickening display of greed and disloyalty that’s hard to fathom.
What the Police Are Saying
“The arrested men confirmed the wife hired them to kill Raja,” said Meghalaya DGP I Nongrang, his voice heavy with the weight of the discovery
The Meghalaya Police’s Special Investigation Team, backed by disaster response units and local intel, cracked the case in just a week. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma praised their speed: “Three assailants are in custody, the female suspect surrendered, and we’re closing in on the last one.” Indore’s Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya added, “Sonam shared their location with the killers, enabling the attack.” In Uttar Pradesh, ADG Amitabh Yash noted Sonam’s surrender at 2:30 AM on June 9, saying she was sent for medical checks before being handed over to Meghalaya authorities.
A Society in Shock
This was not simply a crime; it was a violation of everything we know. How could a marriage barely two weeks old be this horrific? The thought that Sonam was smiling at Raja while having him murdered is chilling. Reminds us that monsters don’t always come out of the darkness; they can be those you trust the most. The people of Meghalaya are angry as well.
The Family’s Pain and Denial
Raja’s mother, Uma, is heartbroken. “Sonam booked the tickets to Meghalaya but not the return ones,” she said, her voice cracking. “How was she unscathed in Ghazipur while my son was dead?” Sonam’s family, though, tells a different story. Her father claims she was drugged and kidnapped, unaware of the crime. Her brother Govind took a harder line: “If she’s guilty, let her face the consequences. We’ll accept justice.”
Where the Case Stands
Sonam was brought before a Ghazipur court on June 9, which granted Meghalaya Police 72 hours to take her to Shillong for questioning. The other three suspects were sent to Indore for seven days of custody, and Anand Patel is also detained. A viral wedding video showing a “distant” Sonam has only fueled speculation about her motives. Was it love for another man? Greed? Or something more heinous?
A Plea for Justice
The Meghalaya honeymoon murder has left a wound on our shared conscience. Raja merited a life of love and not a tragic end in a gorge. While the investigation continues, we can only hope justice is served, not just for Raja, but for a brutal act that unnerves a society; it reminds us all of how trust can be shattered and wounds created that can never be healed.
Sources:
The Indian Express: Meghalaya honeymoon murder case update: Sonam Raghuvanshi claims she was drugged, says UP Police
The Hindu: Meghalaya murder: How a couple’s first trip to the hills set the stage for a killing
Firstpost: Indore couple missing in Meghalaya: How police cracked honeymoon murder case, arrested Sonam
The Indian Express:The plot to kill Raja Raghuvanshi: As killers tracked honeymooners to Meghalaya, Raj Kushwaha stayed back in Indore, lingered around Sonam’s family
