A pilgrimage, change of plans & a trek to death: Meghalaya honeymoon murder stuns nation
GUWAHATI: What began as a romantic honeymoon for newlyweds Raja Raghuvanshi and
Sonam
ended in a chilling murder that has shocked the nation.
Raja (28), a transporter from Indore, and Sonam (24) were married on May 11.
Merely days later, Sonam allegedly orchestrated her husband's killing in Meghalaya with the help of her lover and three contract killers.
Soon after the wedding, Sonam surprised Raja with a sudden pilgrimage to the Kamakhya temple in Assam. She reportedly insisted he wear a gold chain, a ring, and an expensive watch. After the temple visit, she suggested they proceed to Meghalaya, where the couple checked into a homestay in Nongriat village on May 22.
The next day, May 23, they went untraceable. A local guide later claimed to have seen them climbing from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat, accompanied by three men who spoke Hindi.
On June 2, Raja's body was discovered in a gorge. His jewellery was missing and a bloodstained machete was recovered from the scene. Police say this was no accident—it was a calculated murder, planned just days after the wedding.
On June 9, Sonam was arrested at a dhaba in
Uttar Pradesh
after a phone call to her brother revealed her location.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting
Luxeartisanship
Buy Now
Undo
Sources say she had shown no objections to marrying Raja when asked by her family. Police have also arrested Akash Rajput (19) from Lalitpur, Raj Khushwaha (21), Vishal Chauhan (22) from Indore, and Anand Kurmi (23) from Satna.
According to investigators, Sonam was in love with Raj Khushwaha, who worked in her father's plywood business. Raj stayed in Madhya Pradesh while the three hired killers followed the couple, receiving real-time updates from Sonam.
'This is heartbreaking,' said Raja's mother, Uma Raghuvanshi. 'If she didn't want the marriage, she could've left him or eloped. Why kill?'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fresh FIR against Nikant Jain for Rs 4 crore bank fraud
1 2 3 Lucknow: Hazratganj police on Tuesday lodged a fresh FIR against Nikant Jain, the alleged kingpin in the Rs 8,000-crore solar commission scam. This is the sixth FIR against Jain, who is currently lodged in Lucknow district jail. Three FIRs were lodged starting March 20 from his arrest in Gomtinagar, then in Wazirgaj on May 26, and then in Hazratganj on June 10. The other FIRs are one each in Meerut, Etah, and one more in Wazirganj lodged in 2019. This new case is linked to a massive financial fraud involving forged property valuations and criminal conspiracy to defraud Indian Bank of Rs 4 crore in 2017–2018. The new FIR was registered on the complaint of Ashish Jindal, branch manager of Indian Bank's Stressed Asset Management Branch, Lucknow. As per the FIR, Jain, along with his co-accused — Sukant Jain and Vaishali Jain —fraudulently obtained a loan of Rs 4 crore in the name of their registered company, M/s SSJ Agrotech Pvt Ltd. The loan was taken against two properties mortgaged by the company. However, later, the company sought permission from the bank to substitute the first property with a third property. This substitution was approved by the bank. Things took a turn in 2018 when the account turned into a Non-Performing Asset (NPA). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like SNS에서 화제인 그 팔찌, 예쁜데 의미까지... 굿네이버스 더 알아보기 Undo During SARFAESI proceedings, a fresh valuation of the substituted property revealed that its actual market value was significantly lower than earlier presented. The inquiry, led by an internal committee, concluded that M/s SSJ Agrotech grossly inflated the value of the mortgaged properties. The bank declared the account as "fraud" and blacklisted the valuers involved. It initially approached the CBI for action but instead served a final notice to the company on Oct 21, 2024. Later, the bank approached the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Lucknow, with a formal request to register an FIR, said ACP, Hazratganj, Vikas Kumar Jaiswal.
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
UP: Party worker slaps SSP chief Mahendra Rajbhar multiple times during public event
Yadav uses the abbreviation PDA for 'pichde' (backward classes), Dalits, and 'alpsankhyak' (minorities). After a video of the assault went viral on social media, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned the incident as 'another example of atrocities and insult' on PDA, alleging the BJP's complicity in it. Jaunpur (UP), Jun 10 (PTI) A party worker reportedly slapped Mahendra Rajbhar, national president of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party (SSP), repeatedly soon after garlanding the latter on stage during a public gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur district. The incident took place at Ashapur village under the Jalalpur police station limits during a function held on the occasion of Maharaja Suheldev's victory day. The event was organised to perform 'bhoomi pujan' for installing a statue of the revered Rajbhar icon in the Rajbhar-dominated Zafarabad Assembly constituency. Mahendra Rajbhar, a native of Mau district, was the chief guest at the event. To the audience's shock, Brijesh Rajbhar, a party worker, first garlanded Mahendra Rajbhar and then slapped him multiple times in full public view, causing chaos at the event. Following the assault, Mahendra Rajbhar accused Uttar Pradesh Cabinet minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar of orchestrating the attack. However, no statement has yet been issued by Om Prakash Rajbhar or the SBSP in response to the acquisition. After the incident, Mahendra Rajbhar left the venue and filed a complaint at the Jalalpur police station, naming Brijesh Rajbhar. Speaking to reporters, he claimed that Brijesh Rajbhar met Om Prakash Rajbhar four to five days before the event and that the attack was planned under the latter's direction. 'Brijesh was once a worker in my party, but he currently holds no official position. I don't know how or why he came to the event or who invited him. There is no internal dispute in the party or any financial disagreement,' Mahendra Rajbhar said, adding that though many people were present at the event, Brijesh Rajbhar was the one who attacked him. Confirming that Mahendra Rajbhar has lodged a complaint, Jalalpur SHO Triveni Singh said the viral video of the incident was under review as part of the investigation. Reacting to the incident, Akhilesh Yadav alleged BJP's complicity in the attack, which he termed another example of growing atrocities on PDA. 'The violent attack on senior leader Mahendra Rajbhar is yet another condemnable example of the growing insults and atrocities faced by the PDA society under BJP rule,' Yadav posted in Hindi on X. 'If the BJP thinks it can sustain its divisive politics by breaking communities from within, it is gravely mistaken. If the BJP is not complicit in this attack, the assailant must be immediately arrested and punished for his actions,' Yadav said. 'Violence is a manifestation of desperation. The BJP should remember that such acts will not demoralise the PDA but strengthen its resolve further. Long live the Constitution, long live the PDA,' he added. Mahendra Rajbhar was previously associated with the SBSP and served as its national vice-president before parting ways ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections to form his own party. He had accused Om Prakash Rajbhar of deviating from the party's mission and prioritising personal financial gains. In the current Uttar Pradesh Assembly, SBSP's Jagdish Narayan Rai represents Zafarabad. He won the 2022 election as part of an alliance with the Samajwadi Party. PTI COR AR KIS ARI This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Fraud PIL filed in court, GDA stalls approvals for 137 plots in Swarn Jayanti Puram scheme
Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has barred map approvals for 137 plots in the Swarn Jayanti Puram housing scheme, which are currently under litigation in the civil court. The scheme, launched in 1998, sold 1,553 plots of various sizes, but allotment of 137 were cancelled when owners defaulted on instalments. It was alleged that a few GDA officials, in connivance with property dealers, got the allotments of these plots restored between 2005 and 2007 after paying a paltry sum to the original allottees. The officials then got the plots transferred in their names. The irregularities came to light in 2011 when a petition was filed in the high court, alleging that officials had indulged in fraudulent means to restore cancelled plots in the area. The court had directed Moradabad range commissioner to investigate the matter. The inquiry had found some officials, including former secretary and vice chairperson of GDA, were involved in the scam, and FIRs were registered against them in Dec 2017. However, action against officials found involved in the irregularities has been slow. In Oct 2022, Allahabad high court had reprimanded the GDA, saying it "slept over these files without taking any action". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 경기도 거주자 전용: 무료 영웅 캐릭터를 받으세요! 레이드 섀도우 레전드 Undo Sources said the Authority recently received map approval applications for some of these 137 plots. Subsequently, GDA additional secretary wrote to the town planning department asking it to bar map approvals of any of these 137 plots."There were attempts to get the map approval of 137 plots in the Swarn Jyanti Puram housing scheme, even though there is an ongoing case in the Ghaziabad civil court over plot allotment. The additional secretary has directed the town planner to cancel map approvals for these plots, if any have been cleared already," a GDA official told TOI. The fraud is estimated to have cost the state exchequer a loss of about Rs 3 crore and an additional Rs 30 lakh in stamp duty. TOI earlier reported that the 137 plots were allegedly restored at the sector rate of 1998 — when it ranged between Rs 2,575 per sqm and Rs 2,820 per sqm. But according to the rules, the plots ought to have been restored at the prevailing sector rate of 2005-2007 or 75% of the market value, whichever was higher. The sector rate then was Rs 12,000 per sqm.
