Meghalaya

Investigations into the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya have revealed a crucial link to Anand Lodge in Guwahati’s Panbazar area. Police have confirmed that three of the accused stayed at the lodge shortly before the crime was committed.The trio—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh, and Anand Kurmi—checked into Room 32 of the lodge on May 19 at 8:30 pm, posing as students. They left for Shillong early the next morning, May 20, just three days before the alleged murder. The case, dubbed “Operation Honeymoon”, took a sensational turn after Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, 24, was arrested for allegedly masterminding the murder. A court in Shillong on Wednesday granted eight-day police custody for Sonam and her accomplices, while police had sought...

In view of ongoing construction work, the East Khasi Hills district police has announced a temporary restriction on vehicular movement through Umshyrpi Bridge in Shillong. The restriction will be enforced for four nights, from June 12 to June 15, 2025, between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM the following day. To manage traffic during this period, vehicles travelling from Upper Shillong towards Umshyrpi Bridge and MES Point will be diverted at 5th Mile towards Pomlakrai, Laitkor, Madanrting, Laitumkhrah and beyond. Similarly, those coming from Lumdiengiri or Old Cherra heading towards Upper Shillong via Umshyrpi Bridge must take the route through Laitumkhrah, Madanrting, Laitkor, Pomlakrai and reconnect at 5th Mile. Emergency service vehicles will be exempted from the restriction and will be g...

Three men accused of murdering businessman Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya had stayed at Anand Lodge in Panbazar, Guwahati, before carrying out the crime, investigation reveals. Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh, and Anand Kurmi checked into room number 32 at the lodge on May 19 at 8:30 pm, posing as students. The trio left for Shillong early the next morning at 5:30 am on May 20, just three days before the murder took place. A Shillong court on Wednesday granted eight-day police custody to Sonam Raghuvanshi, the 24-year-old wife who allegedly orchestrated her husband's murder, along with her four accomplices. Police had sought 10 days of remand for all the accused. "The court granted 8 days of police custody," said East Khasi Hills district SP Vivek Syiem. The special inve...

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam had left their suitcase at a homestay in Sohra before going missing, and the 'mangalsutra' and a ring found in it helped investigators crack the honeymoon murder case, Meghalaya DGP, I Nongrang, said. Sonam (25) and Raja (29) got married in Indore on May 11 and reached Meghalaya via Guwahati in Assam on May 20 for their honeymoon. Both of them went missing on May 23 in Sohra in East Khasi Hills district, hours after checking out of a homestay at Nongriat village. "We recovered Sonam's 'mangalsutra' and a ring from the suitcase the couple abandoned at a homestay in Sohra. A married woman leaving behind the ornaments gave us a clue to pursue her as a suspect in the case," Nongrang told reporters on Wednesday evening.

A special investigation team of the Meghalaya Police brought here around midnight arrested Sonam Raghuvanshi, one of the five accused in the murder of her Indore-based businessman husband Raja Raghuvanshi, and would reconstruct the crime scene in Sohra, a senior officer said on Wednesday. The four others, who were also arrested from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in connection with the murder, are expected to arrive here shortly, and they will be produced before a local court, he said. Sonam was taken to a hospital here for a medical examination and will be produced before a court during the day as the SIT will seek her police custody to complete the investigation, he said.

In a major development in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, his wife and the prime accused, Sonam Raghuvanshi, has been brought back to Meghalaya and is currently lodged at the Shillong Sadar Police Station under a three-day transit remand. The shocking case has drawn attention due to its grisly details and the interstate involvement of multiple suspects. Sonam was taken to Ganesh Das Hospital on Tuesday morning for a routine medical check-up, as per standard procedure. Police officials have confirmed that she is being thoroughly interrogated about her movements before and after the alleged murder of her husband. Investigators are particularly looking into whether she travelled from Indore to Ghazipur before being discovered alone near a roadside eatery on the Varanasi-Ghazipur high...

In response to the recent murder of Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi, members of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) and other concerned citizens staged a silent protest at Police Bazar in Shillong on Tuesday. The demonstrators held placards and observed silence to condemn the brutal killing, which has drawn national attention and raised concerns over Meghalaya's image as a safe tourist destination. HYC President Roykupar Synrem addressed the media, emphasising that Meghalaya has long been known for its peace and hospitality. He stated, "This incident is tragic, but it should not define our state." Synrem also highlighted past instances where outsiders committed crimes and fled, urging the government to urgently implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to better monitor and regulate...

The gruesome murder of Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi by his wife and three contract killers in Sohra has prompted KHNAM to urge Union Home Minister Amit Shah to implement the ILP in Meghalaya. The CoMSO also renewed its demand for the same. KHNAM working president Thomas Passah stated that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution for ILP implementation in 2019 which is pending approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Passah stressed that the demand for ILP is not to prevent people from entering the state but to facilitate their entry. He also mentioned recent Indore couple case and warned that people with malafide intentions would not dare to register themselves and enter the state. The CoMSO renewed its demand for the immediate implementation of the ILP system. ...

The Meghalaya government has filed FIRs against some media outlets, some YouTubers and even the family members of the accused and the victim for running a smear campaign against the state soon after reports of disappearance of the honeymoon couple emerged. No stone was left unturned to defame Meghalaya with many targetting the state as a hub of crime and referring to Sohra as “crime-prone hills”, and inciting people on social media to take revenge against residents of Meghalaya. Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Monday said that the murder case is the fallout of a love triangle where Sonam Raghuvanshi and her lover hired contract killers to kill her husband, Raja. “As far as the attack on the image of Meghalaya, the media trial and slugfest that was orchestrated by some news channel,...

The Meghalaya Police, at a press conference held on Monday, officially identified Sonam Raghuvanshi as one of the prime accused in the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based tourist whose body was found near Wei Sawdong Falls. According to East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem, a total of four individuals have been arrested, with another person currently detained for questioning. The arrests were made following leads provided by a local guide, who had spotted three unidentified men with the couple. The same individuals reportedly fled the state on the day of the crime, Syiem confirmed. The investigation also revealed that Raja sustained two deep head injuries, indicating a possible premeditated attack. Efforts are currently underway to bring all arrested persons back to Shi...