Raja Raghuvanshi murder: Wife Sonam surrenders; Meghalaya cops arrest 4, one accused still absconding

Eighteen days after a newlywed couple from Madhya Pradesh went missing during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, the investigation has taken a decisive turn. On Monday, police confirmed that three men were arrested and the wife, Sonam, had surrendered. According to police, Sonam allegedly hired the accused to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. His body was found last week in a gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls.

CM confirms arrests and ongoing search

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced the breakthrough on Monday. “Within 7 days, a major breakthrough has been achieved by the Meghalaya Police in the Raja murder case… 3 assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered, and the operation is still on to catch one more assailant,” Sangma said in a statement.

Accused arrested from multiple states

Meghalaya DGP Idashisha Nongrang stated that Sonam surrendered at the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. She was then taken into custody. Akash Rajput, 19, was arrested in Lalitpur, UP, while Vishal Singh Chauhan, 22, and Raj Singh Kushwaha, 21, were caught in Indore. A fourth accused, Anand Kurmi, 23, was later arrested from Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district. Police say the arrested men confessed that Sonam had hired them.

Raja’s body recovered with help from drone

The couple had gone missing while travelling in Sohra, Meghalaya. When family members were unable to contact them, they travelled to the state, prompting a large-scale search involving the police, SDRF, NDRF, SOT, and drone teams. Raja’s body was found last Monday in a gorge, spotted by a police drone. A dao (local cutting tool) recovered nearby was identified as the murder weapon.

CCTV footage helped trace the accused

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed under SP (City) East Khasi Hills, Herbert Pynniaid Kharkongor, examined CCTV footage from different locations the couple had visited. These clues helped the police track the suspects, ultimately leading to the arrests and Sonam’s surrender.
Police say Sonam planned her husband’s murder during their honeymoon. One accused remains at large as the investigation moves forward.

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