The body of missing tourist Raja Raghuvanshi from Indore was recovered from a deep gorge near the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang, Meghalaya, eight days after he and his wife disappeared during a trek. A murder case has now been registered, and authorities have launched a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.
The remains were spotted by a police drone and recovered after a difficult operation from the steep terrain. A magisterial inquest was conducted in the presence of Executive Magistrate Adiel R. Kyntan. The body was identified by family members through a distinctive tattoo on the right hand reading “Raja”. The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS in Shillong for autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Mark A Challam confirmed that foul play has not been ruled out. “The investigation is ongoing and all angles are being examined,” he said. Items recovered near the site include a woman’s white shirt, Pentra 40 tablets, pieces of a Vivo mobile screen, and a smartwatch, indicating that the couple may have been together when the incident occurred. Raghuvanshi’s wife, Sonam, remains missing as search operations continue in the remote Meghalaya hills.