"Am Shocked. Unbelievable": Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister On Honeymoon Murder

Meghalaya is a safe place for tourists, underscored Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong even as he said he was "shocked" that a man was murdered during his honeymoon in the state allegedly by killers hired by his wife.  

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam, both residents of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, went missing while on their honeymoon in Sohra area in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district on May 23. The man's body was found in a gorge on June 2, while the wife was reported missing, leading to a multi-state manhunt.

The 'missing' wife, who surrendered in Uttar Pradesh's Gazipur earlier today, has been arrested in connection with the alleged murder of her husband, the police said on Monday. According to the police, the wife allegedly hired contract killers to murder her husband.

"Personally, even I am shocked on how such a crime can take place? It is unbelievable and unacceptable to me. Initially, when I was informed, I was unable to believe that this can be true," said Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.

"On behalf of the entire state and people of Meghalaya, I request everyone in the country to believe that Meghalaya is a safe place for tourists. Please come. We have seen some anti-state campaign, where people were mentioning that it is not a safe state, but trust me, it is a safe state and we invite tourists like always," he added.

#WATCH | Shillong: On the Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam Raghuvanshi case, Meghalaya Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong says, "Four people were arrested. Sonam has surrendered herself in UP, so that makes it five people. We are in the process of bringing her to Shillong for further… pic.twitter.com/l4L7cvMEgA

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025

The Deputy Chief Minister said there will be further investigations into the case to identify what exactly happened.

Reports say that Sonam Raghuvanshi had an affair with a man named Raj Kushwaha, five years younger than her.

Raj Kushwaha, who was in a relationship with Sonam before her marriage, conspired with her to eliminate Raja, the sources said.

"Police had sleepless nights, and this is a big success for us, where we have been able to identify and arrest those who were involved in this gruesome case," said the Deputy Chief Minister.

The three individuals accused of executing the murder - Vicky Thakur, Anand, and Akash - were allegedly hired by Sonam and Raj Kushwaha. All have been arrested, including Sonam and Raj.

Call detail records reportedly revealed frequent communication between Raj and Sonam, which became a crucial lead in the joint operation by the Indore and Shillong police.

Sources further disclosed that Sonam had deliberately chosen Meghalaya as the honeymoon destination and had only booked one-way tickets. The plan to kill Raja was premeditated, they added.