Meghalaya Health Minister Alexander Laloo Hek strongly defended the state against widespread criticism following the mysterious disappearance of a honeymooning couple from Indore and the recovery of the husband’s severely injured body. Addressing the media on Friday, Hek said that Meghalaya should not be defamed due to a single incident.
"Just because an incident happened in Meghalaya, the state should not be defamed," said Hek, emphasising the ongoing, round-the-clock efforts being made by authorities to locate the woman. “We won't tolerate this," he added.
The minister stated that police personnel, despite facing adverse weather conditions and challenging terrain, have been working relentlessly from morning till evening. He also highlighted the contribution of local volunteers, including youth and personnel from Sohra, who have been mobilised to support the search operations.
“Despite all these efforts, Meghalaya is being defamed, and we will not accept that one incident should tarnish the state's image,” Hek asserted.
Hek confirmed that he personally visited the site after being informed about the incident and has met with senior officials to ensure that a thorough investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, a CCTV video has surfaced showing the couple at a homestay in Sohra on May 22. According to the footage, Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam arrived at the property on a blue scooter, dressed in black raincoats and carrying a small white trolley bag. The footage shows the couple interacting with the homestay reception before leaving again on the scooter after rearranging their belongings.
Sonam was seen removing her raincoat, revealing a white T-shirt and black pants—clothing that reportedly matches garments found near the Sohrarim waterfall, where Raja’s body was discovered on June 2. A white shirt and raincoat were also recovered at the site, raising suspicions that these items may have belonged to Sonam.
Authorities are now using drones and deploying personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Meghalaya Police, and local volunteer groups to intensify the search for Sonam. However, the operation was temporarily halted on Friday evening due to bad weather and low visibility but resumed Saturday morning.
The couple had traveled to Meghalaya on May 20 for their honeymoon. Their last known whereabouts, according to the CCTV footage, place them at the Sohra homestay on May 23.
Days after the body of 26-year-old Raja was found in a deep gorge in Sohra. What was meant to be a joyful post-wedding escape has now spiraled into a possible case of murder and human trafficking, suspect police.
What intensifies the concern is the geographical proximity to the Bangladesh border—only a few kilometers from where the couple went missing. Police are not ruling out the possibility that Sonam may have been trafficked across the border. While no conclusive evidence supports this yet, Meghalaya Police have reached out to Bangladeshi authorities for cooperation.
“Given the rising threat of cross-border trafficking, especially in remote areas, we are considering every possibility,” said a senior police official of East Khasi Hills, adding, “Technological assistance and inter-agency coordination are being used in full capacity.”
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