Honeymoon Murder: Weapon Used To Kill Raja Raghuvanshi Found, Was Bought From Guwahati

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Vishal Chauhan, one of the accused arrested in the murder case, allegedly attacked Raja with the machete first.
Meghalaya Murder: A non local machete or 'dao', which was used to kill Indore-native newlywed Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya, has been found, according to media reports citing the police.
As per the sources, the machete was repeatedly used to hit Raja even as the he tried to save himself. Vishal Chauhan, one of the accused arrested in the murder case, allegedly attacked Raja with the machete first. Blood stains were also found on another accused Akash's shirt since the victim tried to defend himself during the attack.
Police have also found during the probe that the accused had bought the machete from near Guwahati's railway station.
However, according to Raja's preliminary autopsy report, he was attacked twice, at the back and front of his head.
Raja and Sonam, who got married on May 11 in Indore, went to Meghalaya on their honeymoon. He was found dead in a gorge near Weisawdong Falls in East Khasi Hills district on June 2, 10 days after the couple went missing, while a search continued for Sonam. She emerged in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur, around 1,200 km away from the crime spot, on June 9.
The murder took a sensational turn when Raghuvanshi's wife, Sonam, was held by Meghalaya Police along with her three alleged aides, Akash Rajput (19), Vishal Singh Chauhan (22), and Raj Singh Kushwaha (20).
The fresh revelations have pointed to a well-orchestrated conspiracy behind Raja's murder. Raj Kushwaha, who was allegedly in a relationship with Sonam Raghuvanshi, has been identified as the mastermind behind Raja's murder with Sonam actively involved in the plot.
Earlier today, a new video of the Indore couple trekking in Meghalaya, has surfaced on the social media. On the day of the murder, the couple had checked out of the home stay and set out on a trek to Cherrapunji. A guide who had seen them last saw the couple and offered his services, but they refused. Around 2,000 steps into the around 3,000-steps route, the three accused joined them.
According to the police probing the case, the conspiracy to eliminate Raja was hatched in Indore, shortly before his wedding with Sonam on May 11.
'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," East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem told news agency PTI.
Raj had given them Rs 50,000 for the expenditures, he said.
Syiem further revealed that the plot began in February, when the group was in Indore. The plan revolved around making Sonam disappear, but later turned into a murder conspiracy.
'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.
After Raja and Sonam were married on May 11, they visited the Kamakhya Devi Temple in Assam. A few days later, the accused also reached the area. According to police, the group initially planned to kill Raja in Guwahati, but later shifted the plan to Shillong.
First Published:
June 16, 2025, 18:07 IST