honeymoon-murder-case-meghalaya-govt-to-strengthen-mrssa

In a decisive move to bolster internal security and tighten scrutiny of outsiders entering the state, the Meghalaya Cabinet announced its plan to revisit and reinforce the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016. The decision follows the sensational murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was killed during his honeymoon trip to Sohra in a premeditated plot by his wife and her lover.

 

Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh confirmed that the state government is preparing a formal proposal to strengthen the existing MRSSA framework. “The cabinet has decided to revisit the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016, in order to add more teeth to it and minimise the risk of criminal elements entering the state in the guise of tourists,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

 

The MRSSA, enacted to safeguard the rights and security of Meghalaya’s residents, currently mandates the registration and identity verification of tenants and visitors — particularly tourists — through a dedicated app-based system. The law features provisions bearing similarity to the long-demanded Inner Line Permit (ILP), a regulatory framework used in several northeastern states to control the entry of outsiders.

 

 

Lyngdoh acknowledged the ongoing public demand for ILP implementation in Meghalaya. “The State Assembly has already passed a resolution in favour of the Inner Line Permit. The matter is now under consideration by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). While the MHA had raised a number of queries, the state government has already responded to them,” he said.

 

While reaffirming the state’s commitment to ensuring public safety, Lyngdoh emphasised that the murder of Raghuvanshi had revealed the urgent need to close existing loopholes in the Act. The case, which shocked the state and nation, has underscored vulnerabilities in Meghalaya’s current vetting system for visitors.

 

Officials say the strengthened MRSSA will likely include more stringent vetting measures, enhanced digital tracking tools and closer coordination with law enforcement to prevent criminal infiltration under the pretext of tourism.

 

As Meghalaya continues to push for stronger safeguards, the state awaits further response from the Centre regarding ILP, even as it moves proactively to tighten its own legal mechanisms to protect its citizens.