Racist hate after Meghalaya honeymoon murder: Northeast people demand apology

India Today

10-06-2025

The jumping to conclusions had abominable racist rhetoric in this case. While police in Meghalaya were still investigating the murder of a man on his honeymoon and searching for his missing wife, some people had pronounced the people of the Northeast guilty. Without a shred of evidence, and defying logic, they used crass and uncivilised language for the Northeast of India and its people, who, on a regular basis, face racial discrimination. The dehumanising of the tribal people and the Northeasterners in general in a heinous murder case was a new low. After it became clear that it was the wife who had plotted the murder and carried it out with some hitmen, people from the Northeast are hitting back at the hatemongers, and seeking an apology.advertisementThe cycle of racial toxicity started after the body of Raja Raghuvanshi, a man from Indore, was discovered in a gorge in the Cherrapunji area of Meghalaya and his wife, Sonam, went missing on June 2. The honeymooning couple, who reached the Northeast state on May 20, were last seen together on May 23.Following the murder, many people made racial remarks against the tribes in Meghalaya and also the entire Northeast. They said travelling to Meghalaya was unsafe.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said his government and the police would pursue the case as the state had been "defamed"."We will do whatever it takes. Our government and state have been defamed (even though) none of the accused are from Meghalaya," he said, according to an NDTV report.The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO), a prominent Shillong-based civil society group, has demanded a public apology from Sonam Raghuvanshi's family. Its chairman, Roy Kupar Synrem, criticised the family for making unfounded claims against the Meghalaya government and police, saying their remarks unfairly targeted and discredited local communities.advertisement"Their statements went beyond grief and bordered on deliberate misinformation. Now that the truth is emerging, they must apologise — not just to the government and police, but to every citizen of Meghalaya who was unfairly maligned," Synrem said.Raja and Sonam were last seen checking out of their homestay on May 23. They got married on May 11.Capping 16 days of mystery, Sonam was arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur on June 9 (Monday).The primary investigation revealed it to be an alleged case of contract killing, as the woman was having an affair with a man who was also among those arrested.RACIST REMARKS AFTER INDORE MAN'S HONEYMOON MURDERAs the case unfolded, many on social media blamed Meghalaya and the northeast for the death of Raja.The posts below are being cited to just give a sample of the hatred and racial bigotry. There are some which are far worse."NE is full of ooga booga jungalees, never visit there. Normies who fall for sweet NE propaganda end up getting f$@#*d like this. Only exception is Arunachal and Sikkim," wrote one person."That's why Northeast also faces discrimination in other parts of India. Many gangs are active in the northeast state who kill people for money," wrote another person on X, revealing how the racist mindset normalises racial discrimination.advertisementSome went to the extreme of suggesting that the people of the region should be "eliminated"."Northeast tribals are savages, only eliminating is the solution," said another person.Many others made racist remarks and went so far as to call northeastern people "savages, cannibal and human traffickers".After Sonam's arrest, as it became clear that no one from the Northeast had anything to do with the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, the people of the region are seeking an apology for the racist remarks against them.SONAM RAGHUVANSHI CASE: PEOPLE FROM NORTHEAST SEEK APOLOGY"Indore Couple Case: Just a few days back, many defamed, demeaned Northeast & Meghalaya specifically after the couple went missing. Later the husband's body was found," shared a person from Northeast on X.Others listed how the state, which is a tourist destination because of the living root bridges, the colonial charm of Shillong, and the scenic beauty of places like Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, had been defamed for being unsafe and for "tantric magic". They demanded an apology."Unsafe, Tantric Magic, Locals being dangerous, and what not? All such commentators today must apologise. This not only hampered the Northeast's image but also the tourism economy as a whole. Sonam (wife) hired three assailants to kill her husband during their honeymoon in Meghalaya's Sohra."advertisementOthers said it wasn't just Meghalaya, but other Northeast states were also villified."Not just Meghalaya, entire NE tribals were dragged in. They were calling us savages, cannibals, human traffickers and what not. Disgusting people!" shared a person on X.Some people called out knee-jerk reactions in such cases, cautioning how an entire region was at the receiving end of a hate campaign."A few days ago, many blamed the Northeast for a honeymoon tragedy in Meghalaya, calling it unsafe, even 'tantric.' Today, it turns out the wife has been arrested for her husband's murder. Let's not vilify an entire region before knowing the truth.""Everyone who blamed Meghalaya and Northeast India without knowing the truth, defamed the state, affected tourism, spread hate, owes a written apology," wrote another person.While the government is trying to bring the Northeast region closer, and tourists are travelling there in hordes to warm hospitality, some hatemongers end up defaming an entire state and region without even waiting for any evidence. This reveals that there is a change in mindset when it comes to the Northeast region of India. A very good beginning would be to incorporate more information on the region in the school syllabus.Must Watch