Shillong, June 2: Police will register a murder case following the recovery of the body of Indore tourist Raja Raghuvanshi.
His wife Sonam Raghuvanshi is still missing.
In a statement issued on Monday, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sohra Sub Division Mark A Challam said a Special Investigation Team( SIT) is being formed to conduct the investigation.
Full text of the statement
“After an 8 day search, since the couple Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi went missing on the 23rd May 2025, today 2nd June 2025, the search party involving Police , SDRF, SOT and the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Mountaineering Club continued their search. The police drone spotted the dead body in the deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang at 11.48am. Due to the steep and inaccessible terrain, the body was taken to the above parking lot for Magisterial Inquest, which was conducted by Smti Adiel R. Kyntan, MCS, Executive Magistrate, Sohra, between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM.
The inquest was carried out in the presence of independent witnesses from the area . The relatives of the deceased identified the body as that of Raja Raghuvanshi through a distinctive tattoo on the deceased’s right hand reading “Raja.” A lady’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40, a part of LCD screen of a Vivo mobile phone and smart watch from the wrist of deceased were seized at the spot.
The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. The police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage.
The whereabouts of the deceased’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, remain unknown. The discovery of the body was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the police, who conducted an extensive search operation despite challenging weather conditions over the past few days. A case of murder is being registered. An Special Investigation Team( SIT) is being formed to conduct the investigation. Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses”.
(Shri Mark A. Challam, MCS)
Additional Deputy Commissioner,
Sohra Civil Sub-Division,
Sohra.
June 2,2025
