Meghalaya Police on Tuesday recreated the crime scene in Cherrapunji as part of their ongoing investigation into the shocking murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi. The reconstruction took place at Wei Sawdong Falls, near the parking lot where Raja’s body was discovered earlier this month.
Raja, 28, was on his honeymoon with his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, when he was allegedly murdered by contract killers. According to police, the hitmen were hired by Sonam and her boyfriend, Raj Kushwaha. The case has grabbed national attention due to its disturbing twists—particularly the involvement of Raja’s wife in the crime.
Sonam went missing after the incident and resurfaced nearly a week later in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Following her arrest, she reportedly confessed during interrogation. However, police officials clarified that a confession alone isn’t enough—solid evidence is needed to hold up in court.
To gather that evidence, a team of forensic experts and police officers recreated the entire crime scene on Tuesday. Sonam and four other accused were brought to the location to help retrace what exactly happened. The goal was to verify the timeline of events and match the confessions with physical evidence.
“We’ve recovered a sharp weapon believed to be the murder weapon. It was reportedly purchased in Guwahati by the accused,” said East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem.
The murder weapon and other forensic details are being closely examined. Officials believe this on-site investigation will help piece together the full story and strengthen their case.
Meanwhile, Sonam also underwent a mental health check at the Meghalaya Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (MIMHANS) in Shillong. Doctors found her to be mentally fit and stable.
Raja’s decomposed body was found on June 2 in a deep gorge beneath the Wei Sawdong parking area, eight days after the couple was last seen. The couple had reportedly gone missing on May 23, just days into their honeymoon.
Following the discovery of the body, the Meghalaya Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and swiftly arrested all five suspects. They were produced in a Shillong court on June 11 and were sent to police custody for further questioning.
As police prepare to file the chargesheet, the crime scene reconstruction is seen as a key step in solving the case and delivering justice to Raja Raghuvanshi.
A Chilling Revelation
Police say Sonam had no intention of continuing her marriage. Within days of their wedding on May 11, she and her lover began working on ways to get Raja out of the picture permanently. The couple had reportedly tried to call off the wedding before it happened, but when that didn’t work, they chose violence.
After three failed murder attempts, the fourth finally worked.
On a scenic honeymoon trip to Sohra (Cherrapunji), Sonam and her accomplices took Raja to the Weisawdong waterfall, a secluded spot in Meghalaya’s hills. There, they brutally killed him and dumped his body into a deep gorge. The body was discovered by the police on June 2.
She Wanted to Vanish — Even Planned Her Own ‘Death’
After Raja’s murder, Sonam disappeared — only to be found semi-conscious days later in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. At first, she claimed she had been kidnapped during a robbery. She tried to paint herself as a victim.
But once police brought her face-to-face with Raj Kushwaha in Shillong, she broke down and confessed to the crime, revealing everything — including a twisted plan to fake her own death.
Police say Sonam had plotted to murder another woman, burn her body with a scooter or dump it in a river, so investigators would believe she too had been killed — and disappear forever with Raj.
From Guwahati to Dawki: The Five Failed or Planned Murder Attempts
The level of planning Sonam Raghuvanshi and her lover invested in this murder is chilling. Here’s how the five murder plots unfolded, according to the police:
First Attempt – Guwahati: Their initial plan was to kill Raja in Assam’s capital, but the conditions weren’t right, and they backed out.
Second Attempt – Nongriat: The couple lured Raja to Nongriat, famous for its double-decker root bridge. They planned to kill him there, but couldn’t find a suitable place to hide the body.
Third Attempt – Between Mawalkhiat and Weisawdong: They then tried to kill Raja while he was using the bathroom in a remote area. But again, they panicked due to the risk of being caught.
Fourth Attempt – Weisawdong (Successful): Finally, the plan succeeded in Weisawdong. The group attacked Raja, killed him, and dumped his body into a gorge. This was the plan that ended his life.
Fifth Plan – Dawki (Backup Plan): If things had gone wrong at Weisawdong, Sonam was ready to take Raja to Dawki, near the Bangladesh border, and kill him near the Umngot River, dumping his body there instead.
