A honeymoon trip meant to celebrate new beginnings took a dark turn when the husband was found dead in a Meghalaya gorge and the wife, initially presumed missing, later emerged as the prime suspect in what police are calling a “cold-blooded” murder.

Authorities claim Sonam Raghuvanshi, 24, conspired to have her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, 29, killed during their vacation in Cherrapunjee. Police say she allegedly hired contract killers and lured her husband into a trap during their trek through the remote East Khasi Hills on May 23. Raja’s body was discovered 10 days later.

Meghalaya Deputy Inspector General of Police Davis Marak said the entire trip had been premeditated with murder in mind. “It was a cold-blooded murder… the trip was planned to kill Raja,” he told India Today TV, citing an extramarital affair as the suspected motive.

Raja’s decomposing body was spotted by a drone near the Weisawdong Falls parking lot on June 2. A machete — suspected to be the murder weapon — and his mobile phone were recovered nearby. Investigators say there is no doubt he was murdered.

While Sonam remained missing in the days following Raja’s death, her sudden reappearance on June 8 at a roadside eatery in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, brought fresh twists. Found unwell and in a dazed state, she was taken to a local medical college before police took her into custody. Meghalaya Police maintain she surrendered “under pressure.”

Sonam Surrendered Under Pressure

“Sonam surrendered under pressure last night, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to four. One accused remains missing. Sonam will be brought back to Meghalaya for court proceedings,” said Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Dalton P Marak.

Contradicting the police version, Sonam’s family believes she is being wrongfully framed. “Sonam is lying. She is not behind the murder. She is in deep shock. She is innocent. Sonam is being framed. We demand a CBI probe,” said her father, Devi Singh, in an interview with NDTV. Her mother added, “I am thankful that she has been found, but the pain still remains… Now, we just want to know who killed Raja.”

The case first captured national attention when the newlyweds disappeared after checking out of a homestay in Nongriat on the morning of May 23. A tourist guide later told police he had seen the couple climbing a steep 3,000-step trail with three unidentified men — the last known sighting of them together.

Their rented scooter was found the next day in Sohrarim village, unattended. This discovery triggered a multi-day search operation by Meghalaya police across the state’s dense forests and mountainous trails.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma applauded law enforcement for the swift progress. “Within 7 days, a major breakthrough has been achieved by the #meghalayapolice in the Raja murder case… 3 assailants who are from Madhya Pradesh have been arrested, female has surrendered and operation still on to catch 1 more assailant… well done,” he said in a post on X.

Police later retrieved CCTV footage showing the couple checking into and out of their accommodations in Shillong and Nongriat. GPS data from the scooter, along with surveillance clips, supported the theory that they weren’t alone during their final trek.

Family members of Raja Raghuvanshi have also questioned the police narrative. His brother Vipul stated, “She did not surrender. We will not agree that Sonam is the accused until and unless she confesses to this. Both (Raja and Sonam) were happy in their marriage. I never saw the two fighting.”

In coordinated raids across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, three alleged accomplices were arrested. According to police, all three confessed that Sonam had paid them to kill her husband during the trip.

The couple had been married just 12 days before leaving for Meghalaya. Their journey began on May 20, and they reached Shillong on May 21. The next day, they rented a scooter and traveled toward Cherrapunjee, ultimately reaching Nongriat village where they stayed the night at Shipara Homestay.

Homestay owner Sianti Sohkhlet told authorities the couple arrived around 5:30 pm, had dinner, and left early the next morning. “They declined breakfast and said they would trek back on their own,” she recalled.

The situation took a dramatic turn when, according to Raja’s brother, Sonam used the phone of the dhaba owner in Ghazipur to make a video call to her family, alerting them to her location. Police were contacted, and she was taken into custody shortly after.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) continues to probe the case, and one accused remains absconding. Investigators assert they have substantial evidence linking Sonam to the murder conspiracy, while her family maintains that she is the victim of a false narrative.

As public interest in the case mounts, calls for an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation are growing louder.