Grisly Meghalaya honeymoon horror or Modi govt anniversary? TV news chased Sonam all week
A 'grisly' plot in which a 'bride doomed husband to death' ( NDTV 24×7 ) has 'shaken entire Hindustan' ( Times Now Navbharat) and dominated the news cycle after the 'Killer wife' Sonam ( India Today ) turned up at a roadside dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh on Monday—approximately 17 days after she and her husband disappeared during their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Husband Raja Raghuvanshi's body was discovered on 2 June.
If that murder is a 'Honeymoon Horror' ( CNN-News 18 ) that involves ' Pati, Patni aur Woh' , then all the better.
Since then, we have been treated to non-stop details of 'Love, Shaadi, Dhoka' (News 24) that involved 'mastermind' Sonam or her boyfriend Raj (ABP News) and 'supari' killers.
So many elements to a diabolical murder plot are just too irresistible – and television news channels didn't resist: They ignored even Prime Minister Narendra Modi's completion of his 11th year in office, to chase after the alleged culprits, criss-crossing from Indore to the East Khasi Hills of Meghalaya and finally, to Ghazipur.
TV's favourite murder mystery
The television `bahurani ki kahani' has only gotten juicier in the telling with each passing day. The 'Lapata Lady', as Times Now Navbharat chose to call Sonam, became the 'Killer Wife' (India Today) in the matter of a few hours.
It unfolded to include Sonam, her husband Raja, and her alleged lover Raj, who was at least five years younger than her—or so Aaj Tak reported. Then there were the two families of the bride and bridegroom, both of whom threw open their homes to TV reporters. One Times Now reporter entered the newlyweds' bedroom where 'I love u' was written in balloons hanging on the wall.
'This is heartbreaking (for Raja's family). The same woman they had embraced as a daughter was a sinister killer,'' declared the Times Now reporter.
It was really like a TV soap opera: family members of Sonam, Raja and Raj had the TV microphone thrust at them.—and agreed to speak. Reporters asked Raja's family, 'What punishment do you want for Sonam?'—by Wednesday, his mother and brother were calling for the death penalty.
Sonam's father, mother, were interviewed by TV news channels, The father claimed his daughter was 'seedhi-saadhi ladki' (Aaj Tak). Raj's sister was spoken to —in between tears, she said her brother treated Sonam like a 'sister', called her 'Didi' (Zee News).
Raja's mother became a barometer of how the story changed right before our eyes. On Monday, she was careful in her choice of words—she praised Sonam for being 'loving' and said the couple was happy.
By Wednesday, she was saying that Sonam was capable of doing anything and that she had probably performed 'black magic' on Raja. His murder was part of a 'sacrifice', she suggested. The mother also claimed that Sonam's family was into tantra. (CNN News 18)
When Sonam's brother visited Raja's mother on Wednesday, he was attacked with TV microphones and questions—it was a terrible invasion of privacy. 'Was she having an affair?', 'Who planned the murder of Raja?', 'What is Raj's relationship with Sonam?'—the questions went rat-a-tat-tat at him, ceaselessly. 'Broke all ties with her…'' he said, when he could get a word in.
By Wednesday afternoon, we were being given a blow-by-blow account of what apparently happened when Raja was murdered. We were told that Sonam was not only present when Raja was murdered but also gave instructions. 'The deviant wife,' as India Today called her, had a Plan B—if the killers failed to murder her husband, she would push him off the cliff. (India TV).
Delicacy is for the fainthearted. Our braveheart news channels jumped right into alleged conspiracy: TV news reported an alleged conversation between Sonam and her lover, Raj, 'Let's kill him…'', 'Make me a widow' (Times Now), 'Maar do…(kill him)' (Republic Bharat).
And by Wednesday evening, TV anchors were seriously arguing over the `kundalis' of Sonam and Raja (Times Now Navbharat).
Also read: TV news is always enthusiastic about a 'war'—India-Pakistan, Putin-Zelenskyy, Kannada-Tamil
Tantric angle
No detail of the case was too small for TV news. They turned up at Patna airport on Tuesday to watch Sonam being escorted by police on her way to Shillong—and began investigating which airline she was flying (Aaj Tak guessed Indigo) and how long the flight would take (NDTV India). 'It will be a late-night arrival,' said the NDTV India reporter.
There were the alleged accounts of 'chats' in which Sonam denied her husband, 'intimacy' until they visited the temple in Meghalaya. We heard lurid details of how Sonam planned the murder before or just after '9 phere', how she contracted the killers—or did Raj contract them? It wasn't at all clear, but that didn't stop TV news from reporting it. There were stories about 'the widow's plan' (Zee News) to marry Raj after a decent interval.
Another story was that Sonam's mother knew or was even involved in the murder plot. One of Raja's brothers told NDTV India that it is '100-70 per cent possible that the mother knew.'
And then there was the 'tantric' angle. Republic Bharat and News 24 reported that Sonam's family believed in tantrism. Republic spoke to a jyotish, Ajay Dube, who said there was 'mangal dosh' in the horoscopes of Raja and Sonam. He added darkly that there seemed to be another woman involved in the murder.
Honeymoon horror
It wasn't just television news: 'Raja, Raj aur Sonam' (India TV) made a splash across daily newspapers and their news websites, too. On 10 June, The Times Of India (Delhi edition) led with it on page 1: 'Honeymoon horror: MP bride, lover got her husband killed in Meghalaya' read its main headline. On the same day, Hindustan Times also carried it on page 1, so did The Indian Express and The Hindu—the latter's report identifies Raj Kushwaha as one of the accused but doesn't mention any love angle between Sonam and him. Odd.
All of them roughly recited the same sequence of events as did television news, but without the references to a 'killer wife' or 'hate story' (India Today) and other juicy descriptions of the plot and murder.
The author tweets @shailajabajpai. Views are personal.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Raj mastermind, Raja's killers planned to murder a woman and pass her body as that of Sonam: Police
Shillong, The killers of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi had a plan to murder any woman and burn her body to pass it as that of his wife Sonam so that she would be able to be in hiding for a few more days till the truth is known, a Meghalaya police officer said. The police also found out that Raj Kushwaha, a suspected boyfriend of Sonam, was the mastermind in the murder plot, and she is the co-conspirator. On the first day of interrogation of Sonam, Raj and three others, who were arrested in connection with the killing of the Raja Raghuvanshi, also revealed that she fled from Meghalaya in a burqa and reached the Madhya Pradesh city using various modes of transport like taxi, bus and train. "The conspiracy to eliminate Raja was hatched in Indore, shortly before his wedding with Sonam on May 11, and the mastermind is Raj while the woman had agreed to the plot," East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem told PTI. A few days after the wedding, Raja and Sonam had come to picturesque Sohra in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district and went missing on May 23. His body was found in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls on June 2, while a search continued for Sonam. She emerged in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, around 1,200 km away, in the early hours of June 9 and surrendered. The police had also arrested her alleged boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha and three others – Vishal, Akash and Anand - who, till now, were suspected to have been contract killers. 'The three young people were friends, and one of them is a cousin of Raj. It was not a typical contract killing. Yes, the plan was to kill and they did it as a favour to their friend Raj,' Syiem said. Raj had given them ₹50,000 for the expenditures, he said. The planning started in February in Indore and they had thought of ways about how Sonam would disappear after the killing of Raja. 'One plan was to make people believe that she would wash away by a river. Another plan was to murder any woman, burn the body and claim that it was of Sonam. However, none of the plans fructify,' the police officer said. The group had come a few days before the newly-wed couple reached Assam on May 19 and they had initially planned to eliminate Raja somewhere in Guwahati. As that did not work for some reason, Sonam planned to go to Shillong and Sohra, and according to understanding, all met at Nongriat, the officer said. Syiem said they started together for Weisawdong Falls, and there all three hit Raja with a machete they bought in Assam and killed him in front of Sonam between 2 pm and 2.18 pm on May 23 before throwing the body in a gorge. Sonam gave Akash the raincoat she was wearing as his shirt had a blood spot. They left Weisawdong on scooters, and Akash threw the raincoat later as it too had blood stains. They also abandoned the two-wheeler hired by Sonam and Raja at a place, the SP said. The police recovered the raincoat and the two-wheeler when Sonam was thought to have been missing. 'Raj had given Vishal a burqa which he has handed over to Sonam. She wore it, went to the Police Bazaar and took a taxi to Guwahati. From Guwahati, she reached Siliguri on a bus. From there, she took buses to go to Patna and Arah and boarded a train for Lucknow. From Lucknow, Sonam took a bus and reached Indore,' he said. In the meantime, Meghalaya media interviewed a tour guide who said he had seen Sonam and Raja with three people. Raj told Sonam to leave Indore and emerge somewhere in Siliguri and claim herself as a victim of abduction. But on June 8, when Sonam had left Indore, two police teams from Meghalaya reached UP and Madhya Pradesh in civil dress. 'When the first arrest was made in UP, Raj panicked and told Sonam to call up her family and tell them she just escaped from an abduction gang. That's how this whole thing came to light in Ghazipur,' Syiem said. They had thought that Raja's body would not be discovered as it was remote and the police enquiry would take one to two months. So she thought of playing the victim card. 'We are recording their statements. We are questioning them. We will gather more evidence and reconstruct the crime scene,' Syiem said. The officer said the police are confident to file a charge sheet in the case within the mandatory 90 days. All five were remanded to eight days of police custody on Wednesday.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Sonam Raghuvanshi says she was forced into marriage; cops reveal Raja Raghuvanshi was killed in fourth attempt
SHILLONG: Raja Raghuvanshi was murdered in the fourth attempt by his wife Sonam and three other assailants between Guwahati and Sohra, police said on Thursday after interrogating the five accused, who have all confessed to the murder of the Indore transporter. 'Though we want more about how actually the whole murder took place, she said that she was forced to marry Raja, which she said was the reason,' East Khasi Hills superintendent of police Vivek Syiem said. 'As of now at this juncture it is very clear that it is a love angle which has happened. Raj is the mastermind,' Syiem said, adding that all the five accused _Sonam, Vishal Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi _ said the plan was hatched in Indore 11 days before Raja and Sonam's wedding. 'They were all friends and one of them was Raj's cousin. It was not a contract killing. They committed the crime as a favour to Raj,' said the SP. 'They wanted to get rid of Raja in various places. First, they tried to eliminate him somewhere in Guwahati, which did not materialize. They then wanted to eliminate him in Nongriat. But they didn't find a place to dispose the body. They then wanted to do it between Mawalakhyat and Weisawdong but that also didn't happen. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Versátil como sempre. Mais autonomia que nunca. MINI Saiba Mais Undo Finally, they did it in Weisawdong falls,' the SP said. Investigations revealed how the suspects planned Sonam's disappearance back in February, way before Raja and Sonam tied the knot. The three people involved in the crime arrived in Guwahati way before Sonam did, the SP said. 'The initial plan was to eliminate Raja in Guwahati itself. Since they were unable to execute the plan in Guwahati, Sonam decided to travel to Shillong and then to Sohra. Later, they decided to execute the plan in Nongriat,' Vivek Syiem said. 'All the accused took turns to hack Raja Raghuvanshi. Then they threw the body into the gorge. They left the place immediately after. Akash discarded his shirt and put on the raincoat Sonam was wearing.' The police claimed that in February Sonam and Raj had initially thought of ways where Sonam would disappear and probably escape the marriage with Raja. 'One plan was to make her get washed by ariver. Another plan was murder somebody, put it on a scooty and burn that person's body and later claim to be that of Sonam's,' the SP said. But when these ideas could not be implemented, they focussed on eliminating Raja after the wedding, police said. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Meghalaya is safe: Tourists back state's reputation after Raja Raghuvanshi's murder
The serene beauty of Meghalaya's Weisawdong Waterfalls in Sohra was marred by a grim discovery on June 9, when police recovered the semi-decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi in a gorge near the falls, alongside a bloodstained machete. The incident has raised concerns about safety in one of India's most cherished tourist destinations. However, tourists visiting the state have come forward to defend Meghalaya's reputation as a safe and welcoming haven. advertisementThe incident, though shocking, has not dampened the spirits of travelers, many of whom continue to explore the state and interact positively with the local community. 'There are only two types of people in this world — good people and bad people,' one tourist said. 'The good will do good everywhere and the bad will spread evil even in this beautiful valley. Meghalaya is very safe — we trekked all the way down to the falls and felt energised.'The tourist emphasised that despite the tragedy, there is no general sense of danger in the area. Instead, the focus remains on the state's natural beauty and the warmth of its people. 'Even with the language barrier, the locals are incredibly friendly. We are communicating in broken English and Hindi, and everyone has been very helpful,' the traveler tourist, Dr. Dilip from Bettiah in Bihar, visited Meghalaya with his wife and two children. He dismissed growing public fears about safety. 'People have this illusion that Meghalaya is dangerous. But I came here with my family, and we had a great experience. People were cooperative everywhere we went. There is no need to fear,' he said. The tourists also added that the incident has left the locals distressed. Many feel that the crime does not reflect the nature of their community and fear that outside perceptions may unfairly tarnish the state's image. 'The locals are upset,' one tourist observed. 'They're not used to this kind of thing. This crime was not from within.'In recognition of the swift and courageous efforts by the authorities and local volunteers, Meghalaya's Tourism Minister Bah Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday felicitated the multi-agency rescue and investigation team involved in the to India Today, Minister Lyngdoh reaffirmed Meghalaya's commitment to safety and justice and said, 'Meghalaya has always been a peaceful state, and we've seen record tourist footfall over the years. In fact, in 2005, Skyscanner identified Meghalaya as the most preferred destination for Indian travelers. With that reputation, we are committed to upholding our standards.'advertisement'We welcome tourists with open arms, but let me be clear, any breach of the law will be dealt with firmly. Those who cross the line and engage in criminal activities will be held accountable,' he added. Tourism stakeholders hope that this isolated crime will not overshadow Meghalaya's long standing reputation as the 'Scotland of the East', or as one tourist put it, 'We shouldn't call it the Scotland of the East anymore. We should call Scotland the Meghalaya of the West.'Tune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Meghalaya
