Another machete used in murder recovered from Weisawdong
“There was an attempt at that place but it was not feasible as Raja started off his bike and so they had to move on” Vivek Syiem, SP, East Khasi Hills
Shillong, June 17: State police on Tuesday reconstructed the scene of murder of Indore-based Raja Raghavanshi by taking four accused – Raja’s wife Sonam and her three other accomplices – to Sohra where a second dao (machete) used in the crime was also recovered.
The second dao, information about which was revealed during interrogation of the accused, was found in the gorge of Weisawdong falls from where Raja’s highly decomposed was recovered after days of search on June 2.
Sonam along with three associates of her lover Raj Singh Kushwaha – Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan and Anand Kurmi – who executed the murder, were taken to the spot on the seventh day of their police custody.
“The whole reconstruction of the murder was replayed today,” East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem told reporters on Tuesday.
The special investigation team (SIT) investigating into the crime video-recorded the exercise at five places, starting from Mawlakhiat where the scooty of the couple was parked to the murder spot at Weisawdong parking lot.
The SIT also got independent witness to cover reconstruction of the crime scene in the court, according to the SP.
“We’ve got a clearer picture and the whole reconstruction was very successful,” he said.
The exercise, a crucial part of investigation, was based on interrogation of the five accused conducted over the past few days.
The exercise started at Mawlakhiat and the first stop was at a place 3-4 km from Weisawdong parking lot, where they had stopped to take photographs.
“There was an attempt at that place but it was not feasible as Raja started off his bike and so they had to move on,” Syiem said.
They stopped again 200 metres away from Weisawdong parking lot where they took photographs, but no attempt was made there, he said.
“We finally came to Weisawdong parking lot, where we ascertained position of the scooties vis-a-vis the parking lot and where they had actually made an ingress into the viewpoint. After that we went to the viewpoint and we ascertained where Raja was standing,” Syiem said.
The SIT took a Fire and Emergency Service personnel to replay the role of Raja.
Informing that the police ascertained exact positions of the murderers as well as that of victim just before the murder, the SP said, “Three blows took place – first by Vishal alias Vicky, second by Anand and the last blow was by Akash.”
Syiem said the accused also replayed as to how threw the two murder weapons.
The first dao had an orange handle while the one recovered by SDRF team using a metal detector on Tuesday, had a steel handle.
Meanwhile, the SIT also ascertained as to how Akash’s white shirt, recovered with Raja’s body on June 2, was thrown by him after the murder.
“We have also ascertained as to what happened to the mobile of Raja, which was first damaged by Sonam and later by Vishal,” he said.
The SIT also replayed the scene the murderers’ exit from the place.
The SP, meanwhile, maintained that the police are committed to fling the chargesheet in the case in record time.
