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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
When women kill: Inside the minds of India's killer brides - love, rage and murder
This is a representational AI image They were brides, girlfriends, influencers, wives — now, they are accused killers. Sonam. Muskan. Shivani. Ravina. Radhika. A string of young women from small-town India who, until recently, were navigating their own quiet corners of life. Today, they are front-page headlines and viral hashtags, painted in dual strokes — as women and as alleged husband-killers. Their names have become shorthand for both fascination and fury. They've forced a reckoning, one uncomfortable and controversial: what does it mean when a woman kills? These cases, each gruesome in its own way, have lit up national media and exploded across social platforms — often not with empathy or nuance, but with mockery, memes, and a healthy dose of misogyny. 'Sonam Bewafa Hai' memes made a grim comeback. Instagram reels made villains of wives and martyrs of husbands. But behind the noise is a deeper truth, experts say — a story of gender, power, suppression, and a society in denial. Breaking the mold — with blood Let's start with Sonam Raghuvanshi — now a household name. The Indore woman allegedly plotted her husband Raja's murder during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, in cahoots with her ex-boyfriend and three hired assassins. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unlock The Benefits of Membrane Bioreactors with Solutions in Luxembourg (See The List) Membrane Bioreactor | Search Ads Undo Raja's body was discovered in a gorge. Before that came Muskan Rastogi of Meerut, who allegedly killed her husband with the help of her lover, hid the body in a cement-filled drum, and tried to disappear. Shivani from Bijnor faked a heart attack as her husband's cause of death, only for police to find ligature marks. YouTuber Ravina, too, allegedly conspired to kill her husband over his disapproval of her online persona. And Radhika, barely weeks into marriage, reportedly killed her husband in Sangli. All of them — except Ravina, who is 32 — are women in their 20s. Doubly deviant, doubly punished "Women aren't expected to do this. When they do, society doesn't just see a criminal — it sees a woman who's 'failed' at being a woman," says Professor G S Bajpai, vice chancellor at National Law University, Delhi. He references British criminologist Frances Heidensohn's 'double deviance' theory: a woman criminal not only breaks the law, but breaks gender norms. And that makes society recoil harder. "She is doubly deviant and hence must be doubly punished," Bajpai explains to PTI. Unlike men, who are often painted as impulsive or power-driven, women who kill are branded unnatural, even monstrous. They're dissected under a harsher spotlight — their outfits, lovers, social media habits, even smiles are scrutinised. Not just the act — but the reaction India recorded over 4.45 lakh crimes against women in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. But crimes by women? There's no standalone category, mainly because they're statistically rare. Yet rare doesn't mean irrelevant. 'Crimes committed by women make a disproportionate impact precisely because they upset our cultural expectations,' says Deepti Puranik, a criminal psychologist. 'We've taught women to suppress, sacrifice, and stay silent. But pressure creates cracks. Sometimes, it erupts.' She believes early marriage, emotional immaturity, lack of agency, and forced relationships can all brew a psychological storm. Activist Yogita Bhayana agrees: 'It became easier for Sonam to plan a murder than to admit she loved someone else. That says a lot more about our society than about her alone.' Are these crimes of power — or powerlessness? Here lies the paradox: are these women demonstrating a twisted form of empowerment — or are these acts born of deep disempowerment? For Bajpai, the answer is layered. 'Men often kill for power. Women's motivations are frequently rooted in victimisation, manipulation, or emotional trauma. When a caregiver turns killer, the world doesn't know how to compute it.' He adds, 'Let's not forget — intimate partner violence largely moves in the opposite direction. Husbands killing wives is far more common. But those cases don't dominate headlines in the same way.' Data backs him. Globally and in India, over half of all female homicides are committed by current or former partners. Criminal, yes — but still a woman The portrayal of these accused women has followed a familiar pattern: the "wife with a lover", the "influencer who went too far", the "manipulative seductress". It's not just lazy — it's dangerous. Kulpreet Yadav, co-author of Queens of Crime, points out that policing, criminology, and media coverage have always been male-focused. 'We don't truly understand how women with criminal intent think. And that gap leads to oversimplified narratives.' So, should justice be gender-neutral? Bajpai disagrees. 'A blind, one-size-fits-all approach will fail. Context matters. Gender, power dynamics, emotional and social triggers — all of it must be weighed to arrive at fair justice.' The women behind the headlines Beneath the lurid details, under the trending hashtags, there are still human stories — shaped by broken relationships, desperation, suppressed rage, or maybe something darker. No one is defending murder. But understanding it? That's a societal responsibility. These women didn't just defy the law. They defied expectations. And that's what makes their crimes not just shocking — but revelatory.
News18
10-06-2025
- News18
Sonam Met Raj Kushwaha 2 Years Ago, Planned Raja Raghuvanshi's Murder Within 3 Days Of Marriage
Last Updated: Sonam-Raj Kushwaha's first meet, how the marriage with Raja Raghuvanshi was fixed to the beginning of the murder plan, News18 tracks the sordid saga which began two years ago The disappearance of a couple on honeymoon, husband's body in a ditch and wife's surrender – the mystery over the 'disappearance" of Indore's Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi ended on June 9. But then emerged the new angle – the suspected lover, Raj Kushwaha, who materialised his wife's alleged plan to eliminate the husband. From 'Pati Patni Aur Woh' to 'Sonam Bewafa Hai', the drama has intensified in the past 24 hours. However, several questions remain. How did Sonam and Kushwaha meet? How long was the affair? How was her wedding to Raja fixed? How was the murder planned? Sonam's father Devi Singh Raghuvanshi used to run a plywood business with an annual turnover of Rs 12-15 crore. With his paralysis, the business is now run by his son and Sonam's brother Govind. Kushwaha use to work in the billing department as a supervisor on a salary of Rs 20,000 a month, while Sonam joined the HR department two years ago. Reports claim that is how they met and eventually got close. Kushwaha, who was 20, five years younger to Sonam, used to call her Didi in public to avoid suspicion among co-workers and her family. Kushwaha used to live near Sonam's family, but had recently shifted to the Nandbagh area, where the other suspects also lived. WEDDING ON MAY 11, 2025: HOW IT WAS FIXED The Raghuvanshi community has a tradition for matchmaking. They gather at a spot on the day of Ram Navami and submit the details or biodata of their children on a slip of paper. The details are then available for community members, who get in touch with the match they find appropriate. This is how Sonam's wedding was fixed to Raja Raghuvanshi, 30. They got married on May 11. Raja was part of the joint family's transport business with an annual turnover of Rs 8-10 crore. View this post on Instagram A post shared by shrasti Raghuwanshi 💫 (@shrasti_raghuwansh) DAYS AFTER WEDDING: 'MUMMY, SHE IS NOT INTERESTED IN ME' Hindustan Times reported how Raja told his mother within days of his wedding that Sonam was not interested in him. 'He said she was not showing any interest. I asked her directly, but she said she was busy with office work. After that, she started talking to him more. She made all honeymoon plans too," said Uma Raghuvanshi, Raja's mother. MAY 14: 'DON'T LIKE GETTING INTIMATE WITH HIM', MURDER PLANNING BEGINS Sonam plotted the murder along with Kushwaha three days after her marriage, India Today TV reported. In her chat with Kushwaha, Sonam told him that she did not like her husband getting intimate with her, according to sources. She also told Kushwaha that she had kept a distance with Raja even before marriage. In the chat, she allegedly spoke about her plan to kill her husband. MAY 16: SONAM'S 6-HOUR PHONE CALL WITH KUSHWAHA TO THRASH OUT DETAILS According to Bhaskar English, on May 16, Sonam got on a six-hour phone call with Kushwaha from 9pm to 3am. This is where they planned the finer details, according to police. MAY 17: KUSHWAHA MEETS 3 ACCUSED Bhaskar English reported that on May 17, Kushwaha met his childhood friends — Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi, all residents of Indore's Nandbagh — at a cafe at the city's Super Corridor, where police suspect the murder plan was finalised. Vishal Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha and Akash Rajput are the three accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder source: Indore Police — ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025 KASHMIR TO MEGHALAYA: PAHALGAM, OPERATION SINDOOR FORCED THEM TO CHANGE HONEYMOON PLAN After their wedding on May 11, the couple were to go to Kashmir for honeymoon. The April 22 terror attack and the resultant India's Operation Sindoor from May 7-10, however, forced them to cancel their plan. Sonam then suggested they go to Meghalaya. According to Amar Ujala, Raja and his family refused, but Sonam said she had booked the tickets for May 20. While Sonam headed to Meghalaya, Kushwaha stayed back, but remained in touch. According to Raja's mother Uma, Sonam allegedly took Rs 9 lakh from Raja for the honeymoon and also carried some jewellery. Raja and Sonam had told family they would visit the Kamakhya Temple in Assam and return soon. But they never booked return tickets, said Raja's brother, Vipin. 'We don't know who decided on Meghalaya," he said. #WATCH | Indore, MP: On Sonam Raghuvanshi found near Ghazipur, UP, Vipul Raghuvanshi, brother of Raja Raghuvanshi, says, '… I had no idea about those 3-4 people till the time I did not know their names… Raj Kushwaha's name has come forward, which means Sonam can be involved… — ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025 HONEYMOON, MURDER & SURRENDER: MAY 20-JUNE 9 Investigators believe Sonam shared location updates with Kushwaha. Kushwaha kept in touch with Sonam through WhatsApp calls, believing media reports that Sonam was taken to Bangladesh would divert suspicion. The weapon, a traditional 'dao', was reportedly bought in Guwahati. May 20: The couple reached Guwahati. May 21: Raja and Sonam reached Balaji Guest House in Shillong, Meghalaya. Akash, Anand, and Vishal boarded a train to Guwahati via Delhi and reached Shillong on May 21. The trio, who Sonam knew, booked their rented vehicle from the same vendor and followed the couple, posing as tourists from Indore. ALSO READ | 'Wore New Clothes & Shoes, Didn't Look Tense': Raj Kushwaha's Sister Says He Came Home 2 Days Ago May 22: In the morning, they rented a scooter from Keating Road and came back to the guesthouse. Before leaving, they told the manager they would return by May 25 or would call if they needed the room again. Riding the rented scooter, the couple reached Mawlakhiat village in East Khasi Hills in the evening. They then trekked down over 3,000 steps to Nongriat village to see the living root bridges, where they stayed for the night, according to police. May 23: They checked out of Shipara Homestay and came back to Mawlakhiat without their guide. After leaving the village, they went missing from the Sohra (Cherrapunji) area. A search was launched. Albert Pde, a local guide in Mawlakhiat, told PTI he had seen the couple with three other male tourists around 10 am on May 23, while they were climbing back up from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat. May 24: The village head of Sohrarim in East Khasi Hills told police about a scooter found abandoned in their area. May 25: Police tracked down the owner of the scooter, who confirmed the Raghuvanshis had rented it. June 2: Raja's semi-decomposed body was found at the bottom of a gorge near the Weisawdong Falls parking area at Riat Arliang. He was identified by a 'Raja' tattoo on his right hand. The police also found a machete, a woman's white shirt, a strip of tablets, part of a phone screen, and a smartwatch. June 4: A blood-stained raincoat, believed to possibly belong to the missing tourist was discovered near Mawkma Road in Sohra. top videos View all June 9: Sonam was located and arrested. The DGP said Sonam surrendered to the police in UP's Ghazipur, while the three alleged attackers were caught. Raj Kushwaha was arrested later. With Agency Inputs About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...Read More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : news18 specials Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 10, 2025, 17:12 IST News india Sonam Met Raj Kushwaha 2 Years Ago, Planned Raja Raghuvanshi's Murder Within 3 Days Of Marriage
India Today
09-06-2025
- India Today
‘Sonam bewafa hai' is back, this time in a real-life murder case
The phrase "Sonam bewafa hai" is making headlines again, but this time it's not a meme. Meet Sonam Raghuvanshi, who allegedly conspired with her lover to murder her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi. From a viral ₹10 note in 2016 to a real-life chilling saga in 2025, this story is equal parts shocking and tragic. #SonamBewafaHai #SonamRaghuvanshi #Indore #Meghalaya #IndiaNews
