Shillong: The family of a 29-year-old resident from Indore is demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry following the discovery of his body in Meghalaya, 11 days after he and his wife were reported missing. Raja Raghuvanshi, a transport businessman, and his wife Sonam went missing during their honeymoon trip to Sohra (Cherrapunji) in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district on May 23.
The couple had left their guest house in Nongriat village that morning and had not been seen since. Raja’s body was found on Monday in a deep gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, about 20 kilometers from Nongriat. Authorities reported that the body was in a decomposed state, making visual identification challenging. Family members identified him through a tattoo on his arm and a waterproof smartwatch he had borrowed from his elder brother prior to the trip.
In response to the circumstances surrounding his death, Meghalaya police have registered a murder case and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate. The search for Sonam is ongoing, as authorities have yet to determine her whereabouts.
Raja’s brother, Sachin Raghuvanshi, spoke to the media in Indore, expressing his belief that the death was not an accident. “This is clearly a case of murder. I demand a CBI inquiry to uncover the truth. I’ve already lost my brother, but I don’t want to lose my sister-in-law. The government must intensify efforts to find her, and I’ve urged from day one that the Army be involved in the search operation,” he stated.
Sachin also voiced suspicions about individuals associated with the local tourism industry, saying, “I strongly suspect the involvement of hotel staff, local guides, and those renting out scooters. They must be questioned thoroughly.”
According to the police, the couple arrived in Mawlakhiyat village on May 22 using a rented scooter and trekked to Nongriat to visit the famous Living Root Bridge, staying overnight. They departed the following morning, May 23. An abandoned scooter was located on May 24 near a café on the Shillong-Sohra road, which prompted a police-led search assisted by local villagers.
Raja and Sonam were married in Indore on May 11 and had traveled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon on May 20. Meanwhile, personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined the search efforts on Tuesday, a day after Raja’s body was found. “A team of 17 rescuers from the NDRF has joined the search and rescue operations at Sohra today,” informed district Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem.
Original Source: https://nenews.in/meghalaya/meghalaya-family-seeks-cbi-inquiry-after-indore-man-found-dead-wife-still-missing/26533/
Category: Meghalaya,Body recovered,CBI probe,Demand,Indore tourist
Tags:
Publish Date: 2025-06-03 18:05:00
