Fresh suspicion has emerged in the Cherrapunji honeymoon murder case following the recovery of a second mangalsutra, which investigators believe may point to a secret post-murder marriage between the accused wife, Sonam, and her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha.
The mangalsutra, a sacred symbol of Hindu matrimony, was recovered during the probe into the killing of Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based groom who was found murdered in Meghalaya less than a fortnight after his wedding.
While one of the mangalsutras was confirmed to have been gifted by Raja’s family during their 11 May wedding, the origin of the second remains unverified. Meghalaya Police suspect it could have been part of a clandestine ceremony between Sonam and Raj following Raja’s death.
“The recovery of the second mangalsutra has unearthed Sonam’s desperation to wipe out her newly married husband,” said a police officer involved in the investigation. “It may signify a second marriage, possibly with her boyfriend and co-accused, Raj.”
Raja’s brother, Bipin Raghuvanshi, voiced similar concerns. “We have heard that the police recovered two mangalsutras. One was from our wedding ceremony. The second might be from a secret marriage between Sonam and Raj after Raja's murder. Perhaps they tied the knot while covering up the crime,” he told reporters.
Also read: Raja Raghuvanshi’s sister booked in Assam for ritual killing
Police have not yet confirmed the exact location or circumstances of the discovery, nor whether the second mangalsutra definitively belonged to Sonam.
Raja and Sonam were reported missing on 23 May while on honeymoon in Meghalaya. Ten days later, Raja’s body was discovered near a waterfall on a trekking route in Cherrapunji. His wife was later traced to Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, where she surrendered and was arrested.
Investigators claim Sonam had been plotting the murder well before the wedding, in collusion with Raj and several others. Raj allegedly financed part of the operation, and while those involved were not professional killers, they played key roles in luring Raja into an isolated area and facilitating his murder.
So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Following the incident, the Meghalaya administration has made it mandatory for tourists to hire registered local guides when trekking in the state’s hilly terrain, aiming to prevent such crimes and ensure visitor safety.
As the investigation progresses, the mystery surrounding the second mangalsutra and the possibility of a secret post-murder wedding continues to haunt both the police and the victim’s family.
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