The search for Sonam Raghuvanshi, the missing honeymooner from Indore whose husband was found murdered in a gorge in Meghalaya days earlier, has been hampered by what rescue officials described as some of the most challenging terrain they have encountered in India.
Meanwhile, the body of Raja Raghuvanshi has been brought back to his home in Madhya Pradesh, where his grieving family members intensified calls for a CBI investigation into his death.
In Meghalaya, rescue workers looking for Sonam found a black raincoat with stains, the significance of which has not yet been established.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deployed rappelling equipment at the Weisawdong viewpoint near where Raja’s body was discovered, with personnel descending approximately 200 metres into the gorge before operations had to be suspended due to poor visibility and dangerously slippery conditions.
Search team in Meghalaya. (Image: Special Arrangement)
‘Wet soil, slippery stones’
“This steep gorge at Weisawdong is very challenging for the NDRF. It has low visibility and is characterised by its undulating terrain. The soil is wet and the stones are slippery. We have managed to descend 200 metres, but we still can’t reach the ground,” said Inspector Lalringsan of the 1st Battalion, NDRF.
The veteran rescue officer, whose teams have operated in Kashmir’s sub-zero temperatures and Rajasthan’s searing heat, said the Sohra terrain presents unique difficulties. “The terrain in Sohra is very different from others in India and abroad. We have tried our best using rappelling equipment to reach the ground in this steep gorge,” Lalringsan said.
Story continues below this ad
A 17-member team has been attempting to locate Sonam for several days, but the 300-foot gorge’s final 100 feet remain inaccessible due to weather conditions. The dense forest cover, coupled with low visibility and wet, slippery rocks, has prevented ground-level access, while drones cannot fly effectively due to ongoing rains.
The search operation involves 50-60 personnel from multiple agencies, including a Special Operations Team (SOT), the NDRF, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Fire and Emergency Services. Sonam’s brother, Govind, has also been at the site.
On June 2, after eight days of an intensive search through challenging weather conditions, a police drone finally spotted what the search teams had been dreading.
New video and a raincoat
A potential breakthrough came with the recovery of a black raincoat near the viewpoint, though its significance remains unclear. “There are some stains, but we can’t confirm whether they are blood stains. Only forensics will be able to say whether they are blood stains. We will compare it with available footage to see whether it was (worn by) the female,” said Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills.
Story continues below this ad
Meanwhile, new CCTV footage of the couple emerged, showing them checking out of their hotel on May 22. The couple was also seen checking in together in Shillong. In the video, Sonam, who has now been missing for 13 days, is seen interacting with her husband with the registry book in front of them.
The investigation has revealed the couple’s final known movements. On May 22, Raja and Sonam arrived at Mawlakhiat village on a rented scooter and hired local guide Bha Wansai, who took them to Shipara Homestay at Nongriat village, where they spent the night. The following morning, they checked out and returned to Mawlakhiat village without the guide. Their whereabouts after leaving Mawlakhiat remained unknown.
Raja’s body was spotted by a police drone on June 2 at 11.48 am in the gorge below Wei Sawdong Falls.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma called the incident unprecedented for the state. “This is a very unfortunate incident, and it is something that we have not seen in Meghalaya before. In fact, it has taken all of us by surprise and shock. Local residents and stakeholders are surprised. We know that Meghalaya has always been a tourist-friendly area,” Sangma said.
Story continues below this ad
The Chief Minister assured the victim’s family that authorities were working intensively on the case. “I want to assure the family members that we are working overtime to make sure that we get to the facts and depth of really what happened.”
Search team in Meghalaya. (Image: Special Arrangement)
Body brought home
On Wednesday evening, when Raja’s body arrived at his hometown in Indore, his grief-stricken father collapsed. Now, a large, striking poster is on display outside Raja’s Indore home, featuring photos of the couple. The poster reads: “The soul of Raja appeals to the central and state governments — I didn’t die, I was killed. Let the CBI investigate.”
Vipin Raghuvanshi, Raja’s brother, said, “My brother’s body was found around 25 km from his Scooty. He was kidnapped and taken to this area. We want the CBI to investigate the case.”
Story continues below this ad
The couple went missing near Osara Hills in the Cherrapunji area on May 23. After failing to establish contact with them, family members travelled to Shillong. When their search efforts proved futile, they turned to local authorities.
Soon after, the police found a rented scooter, used by the couple, lying abandoned. After frantically searching for the couple, officials managed to eventually locate Raja’s decomposed body deep inside the gorge.
The incident marks the second tourist death in Meghalaya this year. In April, the body of a Hungarian tourist, who had been missing since March 29 after checking into a Shillong hotel, was found on a steep slope in the East Khasi Hills district.
