Days after the body of 26-year-old Raja Raghuvanshi from Indore was discovered in a deep gorge in Sohra (Cherrapunji), his wife Sonam remains untraceable. What was meant to be a joyful post-wedding escape has now spiralled into a possible case of murder and human trafficking, police suspect.
Raja and Sonam, who were newly married on May 11, left Indore on May 20 to enjoy their honeymoon in the cool hills of Shillong. According to police sources, the couple checked into a hotel in Sohra before heading towards Maulakaya village in Cherrapunji. On May 24, they rented a scooty for local sightseeing.
The last known communication came from Sonam, who spoke to her family at around 1:15 pm on May 23. GPS data later revealed that the rented scooty came to a halt around 2 pm. After that, all contact with the couple ceased.
Police believe the attack occurred shortly after the vehicle stopped. Investigators suspect Raja was killed while trying to prevent a robbery and that Sonam was abducted. Raja’s body, discovered on June 2 in a gorge near Sohra, bore injury marks.
“A sharp weapon, his mobile phone and a black raincoat with suspicious stains were also found nearby. The stains are being examined by forensic teams to determine if they are blood,” said a police officer.
Also read: Family of Indore man alleges murder; demands CBI probe
Heightening concerns is the geographical proximity to the Bangladesh border—only a few kilometres from where the couple went missing. Police have not ruled out the possibility that Sonam may have been trafficked across the border. While no conclusive evidence supports this yet, Meghalaya Police have reached out to Bangladeshi authorities for cooperation.
“Given the rising threat of cross-border trafficking, especially in remote areas, we are considering every possibility,” said a senior police official of East Khasi Hills, adding, “Technological assistance and inter-agency coordination are being used to full capacity.”
A massive search operation covering a 50-kilometre radius from where Raja’s body was found is currently underway. Police are also scrutinising vehicle entries on the nearby double-decker living root bridge over the past month, hoping for surveillance clues or potential witness accounts.
Sonam’s family, devastated and desperate, strongly suspects the involvement of a human trafficking ring. “This wasn’t just a robbery. They knew what they were doing. Our daughter vanished without a trace,” said a relative in Indore.
The case has sparked outrage and concern, with many questioning how such an incident could occur in a tourist hotspot. The couple had taken a popular route, stayed at a well-known hotel and were travelling in broad daylight. Yet, they fell prey to what now seems to be an orchestrated attack.
Police say this is not an isolated case. There have been past reports of tourists going missing in the northeastern regions, though few have received this level of national attention.
As the investigation deepens, authorities are now racing against time—not only to solve a murder but also to rescue a missing woman who may already be beyond national borders. Whether Sonam is being held somewhere in Meghalaya or has been smuggled across, no one yet knows.
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