On the morning of May 23, 24-year-old Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly lured her husband, Raja (28), to a remote trail near the Weisaodang waterfalls in Riyat Arliang, under the pretext of a photoshoot. As the couple hiked up the steep mountain path, three hired killers — later identified as Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22) and Anand Kurmi (23) — walked ahead of them, as part of the murder plot.
According to the police, Sonam feigned exhaustion and deliberately lagged behind, allowing Raja to move ahead alone. Then came the chilling cue that sealed his fate— Sonam allegedly shouted, "Finish this time".
"That was the killers’ signal,” said an officer of Meghalaya police probing into the chilling murder case.
A prolonged interrogation of Sonam on Tuesday night, following her transfer to Meghalaya from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, revealed a detailed, blow-by-blow account of the events that culminated in Raja’s brutal murder, according to police sources.
"The three assailants — friends of Sonam’s lover Raj Kushwaha — launched a brutal attack on Raja. One of them struck multiple times on Raja’s head with a hatchet purchased in Guwahati. The fatal blow was delivered by Akash, the youngest of the trio. Blood splattered onto Raja’s clothes and in a gruesome attempt to cover up the evidence, Sonam offered her own raincoat to him to conceal the stains. The same raincoat was later recovered,” said a police officer.
Also read: Honeymoon horror: Police to recreate crime scene with Sonam
With Sonam’s help, Raja’s body was then pushed into a deep gorge.
Police investigations revealed that Sonam married Raja on May 11 under family pressure. Merely five days later, she reconnected with her former lover, Raj Kushwaha — an employee at her family’s plywood business — and began plotting her husband’s murder.
“The killers, all childhood friends of Raj, were roped into the plan. They travelled with the couple on the same flight from Bangalore to Guwahati on May 20. Raja had reportedly become friendly with the trio at the Bangalore airport, finding them too from his Indore hometown, unaware that they were part of a sinister plot,” said the officer.
After the murder, Sonam calmly returned to Indore by train on May 25, reunited with Raj and fled to Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, by road. However, her movements were being tracked. She was eventually arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police from a roadside eatery on June 8.
Raj Kushwaha was apprehended from Indore, while Akash, Vishal, and Anand were already in custody. Investigators confirmed that Raj coordinated the entire crime from Indore, maintaining constant communication with Sonam during the murder.
The police grew suspicious when they discovered that the couple had taken no pictures during their honeymoon, especially in the picturesque hills of Meghalaya. Forensic evidence, such as the blood-soaked shirt and a raincoat gifted by Sonam to one of the attackers, further built the case against her.
“Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, last spoke to her son on May 23— the very day he was killed. Sonam, when contacted, told the worried mother that Raja would call once network connectivity improved. By that time, Raja was already dead,” said another police officer.
His body was recovered on June 2 from a gorge, aided by drone surveillance. By June 3, police had narrowed their suspicion on Sonam and Raj.
Senior police officials described Sonam as manipulative and unremorseful. "She tried to portray herself as a victim, claiming she was drugged and taken to UP against her will. But the evidence broke her lies apart," said ADG (Law and Order), UP, Amitabh Yash.
Currently, all five accused are in police custody. Meghalaya Police is preparing to reconstruct the murder scene at Weisaodang waterfalls within the next 2–3 days. East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem confirmed that the accused will also be presented in court on Wednesday for further proceedings.
In a dramatic moment reflecting national anger, a man at Indore Airport slapped one of the accused as Meghalaya Police escorted them through the terminal. The man later claimed he couldn’t restrain his fury after learning about the crime that has horrified the country.
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