Honeymoon murder shows ‘silent crisis’ in Indian families
Mental health expert Punitha SR says the case demonstrates what happens when someone doesn’t have a voice at home
New Delhi, July 1: In the wake of the Shillong honeymoon murder case that has gripped the nation, mental health expert and MyTreya founder Punitha S R warns that such extreme violence stems from a deeper “silent crisis” plaguing Indian families – the complete breakdown of emotional communication and accountability.
Speaking to The Startup Caffe about the case where Sonam Raghuvanshi allegedly orchestrated her husband Raja’s murder during their honeymoon in Meghalaya, Punitha argues that this is not an isolated incident of betrayal, but a symptom of systemic family dysfunction that creates “psychological time bombs”.
“This particular case demonstrates what happens when someone doesn’t have a voice at home,” explains Punitha, who has over a decade of experience in psycho-social therapy and community development.
“Sonam’s actions were not born in a vacuum – they were the culmination of bottled-up emotions, suppressed identity, and the complete absence of healthy emotional outlets within her family structure,” she adds.
Punitha’s analysis challenges the conventional narrative of the case, suggesting that while Sonam’s actions are inexcusable, the psychological conditions that enabled such extreme behaviour were cultivated over years of family neglect and emotional abandonment.
Accountability crisis: Parents in denial
What makes Punitha’s perspective particularly striking is her unflinching critique of parental responsibility in such cases. “The funny part is, we never acknowledge and we never realise the accountability and responsibility,” she states.
“Parents would rather say ‘not my child’ than confront the reality that their child’s mental health deteriorated under their own roof,” she observes.
She points to a disturbing pattern where families notice behavioural red flags but choose denial over intervention.
For Punitha, the Shillong case represents a broader crisis affecting “practically every household” in India. Through her work at MyTreya — a holistic wellness platform inspired by the world’s ‘Blue Zones’ — she encounters countless individuals struggling with similar emotional suppression and family disconnection.
MyTreya Solution
Rather than treating mental health as crisis intervention, Punitha advocates for what she calls ‘emotional infrastructure’ – proactive systems that prevent psychological breakdown before it leads to extreme behaviour.
“We help people work on the inside so they can shine outside. Whether it’s counselling, legal clarity, or lifestyle modification, every solution starts with helping people look within and find their voice — the voice they never had at home,” she explains.
(The opinion is based on publicly available information about the Shillong honeymoon murder case. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.)
