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Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder: The murder of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya has shocked the nation and chilling autopsy details have now confirmed the brutality of the crime. According to Meghalaya SIT Chief Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor, Raja suffered two deep and fatal injuries to the head, believed to have been inflicted with a sharp-edged weapon.

"Post mortem saying two head injuries with a sharp cutting weapon," Kharkongor said, highlighting the violent nature of the killing that has now become a high-profile national case.

As the investigation progressed, police received a major breakthrough when Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused was found wandering in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, far from the crime scene in Meghalaya on Monday. Her sudden appearance raised immediate questions, how had she travelled such a vast distance undetected, and who had helped her?

How Sonam Reached Ghazipur?

To which she told a roadside dhaba owner in Uttar Pradesh that her husband was killed while trying to save her and claimed she had no recollection of how she ended up in Uttar Pradesh, reported IANS.

Sonam was spotted by Sahil Yadav, owner of a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, where she tearfully asked to make a phone call. Local authorities were alerted and she was taken into custody. Meghalaya’s DGP later confirmed that Sonam had been underground for days and only surfaced when police pressure intensified across multiple states.

Yadav said, "She was crying so hard that she could barely speak... I gave her water and helped her call her family. They asked me to contact the nearest police station to ensure her safety."

Sonam also told him, “My husband was killed while saving me,” claiming the two were attacked during a robbery attempt in Meghalaya. Soon after, she was handed over to the police and formally surrendered at Nandganj Police Station.

Meanwhile, police in Meghalaya had already begun piecing together the case. East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said that the case first appeared to be a missing persons matter. But everything changed on June 2, when Raja’s body was found in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls. A blood-stained machete and other clues nearby prompted the formation of a SIT.

Within a week, the team gathered crucial evidence and made multiple arrests. SP Syiem said the investigation showed that Sonam had not acted alone. She was allegedly accompanied by her lover, Raj Singh Kushwaha, and others whom police believe helped execute the murder on May 23.

“When both of them come to Meghalaya on remand, we will finally be able to confirm how everything happened,” said SP Syiem, noting that the accused had gone underground for days.

Tourist Guide Aided Probe

One of the most critical leads came from a local tourist guide, Albert Dey, who told police he had last seen Raja and Sonam in the company of three Hindi-speaking men, according to NDTV.

"These men were not locals, as they were speaking Hindi so it was clear," Dey told police, explaining that he saw Raja and Sonam accompanied by three men; a key detail that cracked open the case. Dey’s observation helped authorities identify and arrest suspects believed to be involved in the murder.

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Based on his statement, the police arrested 19-year-old Akash Rajput from Lalitpur, 22-year-old Vishal Singh Chauhan from Indore, and 21-year-old Raj Singh Kushwaha, also from Indore. Another suspect, Anand, was later arrested from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district.

Raja Raghuvanshi's Mother Alleges Sonam Didn’t Book Return Tickets

Adding to suspicions of premeditation, Raja's mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, said Sonam had planned the entire honeymoon and booked all travel arrangements but pointedly omitted return tickets. “If Sonam loved my son, she wouldn’t have left him to die... They didn’t book their return tickets,” Uma alleged.

ALSO READ: Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder: Sonam Raghuvanshi To UP Dhaba Owner Before Arrest, 'Husband Was Killed While Saving Me'

With multiple arrests made and Sonam now in custody, Meghalaya Police plan to bring all accused back to the state for interrogation and judicial proceedings. The investigation is ongoing, with police piecing together the timeline and motive behind this chilling murder.