Uma Raghuvanshi, the grieving mother of murder victim Raja Raghuvanshi, has demanded the harshest possible punishment for those involved in her son’s brutal killing during his honeymoon in Meghalaya. Expressing her anguish, she urged authorities to ensure justice is delivered swiftly and strongly.
“I want justice for my son. The accused should be hanged. They must receive the strictest punishment,” Uma said, adding that she believes more people were involved in the crime than currently identified. “One person alone could not have planned and executed this.”
Recalling her daughter-in-law Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is the prime accused in the case, Uma said the family had welcomed her with open hearts. “We were happy to have her join our family. Raja was happy in the marriage. The last I spoke to them was on May 23. I never suspected anything.”
Raja’s brother, Vipin Raghuvanshi, echoed the demand for justice while casting fresh allegations against Sonam. He accused her of staging a fake surrender and claimed that over five individuals were involved in the conspiracy. He also alleged that Sonam’s mother concealed key details, including her daughter’s alleged affair with co-accused Raj Kushwaha.
Meanwhile, a fourth accused, identified as Anand, was sent to 7-day transit remand on Tuesday. Three others—Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Raj Singh Kushwaha—had already been remanded on Monday. All four, aged between 20 and 25, are reportedly friends of Raj Kushwaha, who once worked as an accountant in Sonam’s office.
Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya stated, “All four will be taken to Shillong for further investigation. Anand is from Indore. Raj was employed with Sonam; the others are either students or unemployed. None of them has a criminal record.”
Sonam Raghuvanshi was apprehended by police in Bihar after being found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur road. She was later taken to the Sakhi One Stop Centre and handed over to Meghalaya Police following medical checks and the granting of a three-day transit remand.
Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong confirmed the arrest of four individuals and noted that one more suspect is still at large. He said Sonam voluntarily surrendered and will be brought to Shillong along with the others for continued investigation.
According to the Meghalaya SIT, the post-mortem report revealed Raja sustained two fatal head injuries. Raja and Sonam, both residents of Indore, had gone missing while on their honeymoon in Meghalaya. His body was later found, triggering what has become a chilling case of suspected contract killing.
