Honeymoon Homicide Twist: Indore Man Killed in Meghalaya as Favour, Not for Fee
In a startling twist in the chilling murder of Indore resident Raja Raghuvanshi, Meghalaya Police have ruled out the theory of a hired contract killing, revealing instead that the gruesome crime was carried out as a personal favour.
Raghuvanshi, 29, who had recently tied the knot with 24-year-old Sonam, was murdered during their honeymoon trip to Meghalaya&rsquo;s scenic Sohra (Cherrapunji). His decomposed body was discovered at the base of a gorge near Weisawdong Falls on June 2, nearly 10 days after the couple went missing on May 23. Initially suspected to be a murder-for-hire case, the investigation has since taken a darker, more personal turn.
Police now say the alleged mastermind behind the killing is Raj Kushwaha &mdash; reportedly Sonam&rsquo;s lover. According to sources within the East Khasi Hills district police, Raj roped in three young men, believed to be close friends &mdash; one of whom is his cousin &mdash; to execute the killing. Crucially, they weren&rsquo;t motivated by money, but loyalty.
&ldquo;It was not a conventional contract hit. The murder was premeditated, yes, but the motive wasn&rsquo;t financial,&rdquo; confirmed East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem. &ldquo;The three accused carried out the plan as a favour to Raj.&rdquo;
The police allege that Raj and Sonam plotted the killing back in February in Indore, months before the couple's May 11 wedding. According to investigators, the original conspiracy even included a bizarre backup plan &mdash; to kill an unknown woman, burn the body, and pass it off as Sonam&rsquo;s, to fake her death and throw police off her trail.
Sources say Raj gave the trio a sum of ₹50,000 to cover travel and logistical expenses. The execution took place under the guise of a honeymoon, with Sonam allegedly luring her husband to a remote area.
Following Raja&rsquo;s murder, Sonam initially vanished. Her sudden reappearance on June 9 in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh &mdash; where she surrendered to police &mdash; raised further suspicions and ultimately led to the unraveling of the conspiracy.
The five accused &mdash; Sonam, Raj, and his three associates Vishal, Akash and Anand &mdash; are all in custody. Investigators are now piecing together the exact sequence of events leading to Raja&rsquo;s death and the role each conspirator played in what has become one of the most disturbing crimes in recent memory to unfold in Meghalaya&rsquo;s tourist corridor.
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Meghalaya Police say killing was not for money but a favour to wife's alleged lover Raj

Indore Man Killed on Honeymoon in Murder-for-Favour Plot

Meghalaya Police say killing was not for money but a favour to wife's alleged lover Raj

June 16, 2025 | 13:50 IST