The brutal murder of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon in Meghalaya has shocked the nation, as chilling new details reveal that his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi had plotted the crime with her lover, Raj Kushwaha, just days after their wedding. Raja's elder brother Vipin Raghuwanshi told Aaj Tak that Sonam had warned her family in advance about her relationship with Raj. Despite her pleas, her family insisted she marry within their caste, leading to a forced union with Raja on May 10.
According to Vipin, Sonam had clearly warned her mother that something tragic could happen if she was forced into marriage. "A close family friend told me Sonam said, ‘Fine, wherever I get married, whatever happens afterward, I will not be responsible for it,’” Vipin recalled. Despite this, her parents dismissed her warnings and proceeded with the wedding. Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, added that Sonam rarely interacted with Raja and had only booked a one-way ticket for their honeymoon.
Police investigations revealed that Sonam began plotting the murder just three days into the marriage. On May 21, the couple traveled to Shillong for their honeymoon. The next day, three hired killers arrived in the city. On June 2, Raja’s body was discovered in a gorge in East Khasi Hills. Police soon uncovered CCTV footage placing Sonam near the crime scene with the accused killers and discovered she had directed them during the attack.
The gruesome murder led to the launch of ‘Operation Honeymoon’ on June 7. Sonam fled Shillong on May 25, met Raj Kushwaha in Indore, and later hid with him in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. She was finally arrested on June 10 at a roadside dhaba.
Forensic evidence collected included a blood-stained raincoat handed over by Sonam to one of the killers, a broken mobile screen, and clothing worn by the accused during the attack. Among the four arrested hitmen Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajpoot, Vikas alias Vicky, and Anand Vishal is said to have struck the first blow. Police confirmed that Sonam was emotionally detached from Raja even before the wedding. Messages between her and Raj indicated she was uncomfortable with Raja and wanted to eliminate him.
Adding a disturbing twist, a Facebook post from Raja’s account after his death read, “Saat janmon ka saath” (Together for seven lifetimes), further confirming foul play. The crime was planned in remote Meghalaya to avoid suspicion, but police now say it was Sonam who instructed the killers to attack. An autopsy confirmed multiple stab wounds, particularly to Raja’s head. Authorities continue to piece together the exact timeline and motive, but the chilling combination of love, deception, and murder has left the public and Raja’s family in shock.
