Second Machete Uncovered in Brutal Meghalaya Honeymoon Killing

18th June 2025 at 12:57 PM

1 minute read

Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of the Indore man, Raja Raghuvanshi, who was found dead in Meghalaya.

Shillong: The Meghalaya Police have made a significant breakthrough in the investigation of the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, recovering a second machete used in the crime during a crime scene reconstruction in Sohra on June 17, 2025. The weapon, a steel-handled dao, was found near Weisawdong waterfall, close to the gorge where Raghuvanshi’s body was discovered on June 2, as reported.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) brought all five accused Raghuvanshi’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, and three accomplices, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi to the crime scene to reenact the murder. The reconstruction revealed chilling details of the premeditated attack. According to East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, Sonam signaled the assailants to strike while standing in front of her husband. Vishal delivered the first blow, followed by Anand and Akash, with two machetes used to inflict three fatal strikes to Raghuvanshi’s head. Sonam reportedly fled the scene when her husband began bleeding and screaming, returning only after his death.

The investigation further disclosed that Sonam destroyed Raja’s mobile phone, with Vishal completing its destruction post-murder. The accused chose the isolated Weisawdong location for the killing, having traveled from Indore to Shillong in phases to avoid detection. After the murder on May 23, Sonam and the hitmen took a taxi from Sohra to Guwahati and then boarded a train to Indore.

Raja and Sonam, married on May 11, 2025, in Indore, had arrived in Meghalaya for their honeymoon when the crime occurred. The case, initially reported as a missing persons incident, was reclassified as murder after Raja’s body was found. All five accused are in custody, with the SIT continuing to probe potential financial motives in Indore. The recovery of the second machete strengthens the evidence against the accused, with the police committed to filing a chargesheet swiftly, Syiem told .