Meghalaya police confirm tourist from Indore was murdered; wife still missing

The Meghalaya police have confirmed that Raja Raghuvanshi, a tourist from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, whose body was found on June 2, was murdered, and said they were trying to determine a motive.

The police suspect that he was killed with a machete, which was recovered from the Weisawdong Falls, close to the spot where his decomposed body was found in a gorge on June 2. A mobile phone belonging to the victim was also recovered.

The police believe a black-and-pink raincoat recovered on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) could help in locating Raghuvanshi’s missing wife, Sonam.

The raincoat was recovered from Mawkma village, located between the spot where Raghuvanshi’s body was found and Sohrarim, where the two-wheeler used by the couple was found abandoned outside a cafe on May 24.

The search for her will resume on Thursday (June 5, 2025).

Attempt to hide evidence

Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police of the East Khasi Hills district, told journalists on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) that the retrieved machete was a new one. “We suspect that it was used in the murder,” he said.

“We need more evidence to ascertain whether the motive behind the murder was robbery, hatred, vendetta, or anything else. A murder case was registered earlier, and a special investigation team is probing the incident,” he said.

Mr. Syiem further said it was not yet clear whether Raghuvanshi was pushed into the deep gorge before or after his death. “The attempt was to hide evidence. The post-mortem report will reveal everything,” he added.

The newly-wed couple went missing on May 24, two days after they had set out for Sohra (Cherrapunjee) in the East Khasi Hills district on a two-wheeler they rented in Shillong, about 60km away.

Torrential rain and slippery conditions hampered the search. The man’s body was spotted by a police drone two days ago and later identified by his brother through a distinctive tattoo on the right hand bearing his name.

Items recovered at the scene that day include a woman’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40 tablets, part of an LCD screen from a mobile phone, and a smartwatch worn by the deceased. His wallet, gold rings, and gold chain were missing.

Members of the Raghuvanshi family, who are in Meghalaya, said the Central Bureau of Investigation should probe his murder.

The post-mortem is being conducted at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences near Shillong.

Published - June 04, 2025 11:03 pm IST