Police register murder case, form SIT to probe into case
Shillong, June 3: An eight-day extensive search and rescue operation for a missing tourist couple has yielded result with recovery of the highly decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi, who had gone missing along with his wife Sonam during a honeymoon trip to Sohra.
The body was spotted by a police drone at a deep gorge at Weisawdong falls. However, no trace of his wife could be found yet.
Police have registered a murder case and formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the matter.
“Police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage,” East Khasi Hills superintendent of police (SP) Vivek Syiem said in a statement.
The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
The tourist couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh arrived at Sohra on May 22 and went missing the next day.
According to the SP, the police drone spotted decomposed body in the deep gorge below Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang around 12 noon.
The search team included personnel from Police, SDRF, SOT and members West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Mountaineering Club, besides the local community.
“Due to the steep and inaccessible terrain, the body was taken to the above parking lot for magisterial inquest, which was conducted by Adiel R Kyntan, executive magistrate, Sohra,” the SP said.
Relatives of the deceased identified the body with a distinctive tattoo reading “Raja” on the right hand, he said.
Meanwhile, his wife’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 recovered from the spot.
Syiem said discovery of the body was made possible with dedicated efforts of the police, who conducted an extensive search operation despite challenging weather conditions in the past few days.
Earlier, the couple newly-wed couple – Raja Raghuwanshi (30) and Sonam Raghuwanshi (27) – arrived at Mawlakhiat under Elaka Mynteng on May 22 on a rented scooty to visit the double decker root bridge at Nongriat. They engaged a local guide, Bha Wansai, and trekked over 3,000 steps to Nongriat where they stayed overnight at Shipara Homestay, officials said.
On the same day, the couple had first entered Manha Homestay at Saitsohpen, Sohra where they kept their luggage before proceeding further due to no vacancy and heavy rainfall.
After staying the night at Nongriat on May 22, they checked out next morning intending to return to Mawlakhiat. However, no confirmed sighting of either the couple trekking from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat or their scooty at Mawlakhiat parking lot was reported, according to officials.
On May 24 around 9:00 pm, the Sordar of Sohrarim reported an abandoned scooty, which was traced to the couple via e-challan the next day, and ultimately led to the massive search operations.
