Missing Indore tourist found dead in Sohra gorge-wife still missing, SIT formed

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 2, 2025

After an eight-day search, the highly decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi, who went missing with his wife while on a honeymoon to Sohra, was recovered from a deep gorge at Weisawdong falls, after it was spotted by a police drone on Monday, the deceased wife, Sonam however is yet to be found.

“A murder case has been registered and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to investigate into the case, Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem said in a statement.

The tourist couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh went missing on May 23.

Syiem said as the search party involving Police, SDRF, SOT and the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Mountaineering Club continued their search, the police drone spotted the dead body in the deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang at 11.48am. 

“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, MCS, Executive Magistrate, Sohra, between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM. The inquest was carried out in the presence of independent witnesses from the area,”he said adding “The relatives of the deceased identified the body as that of Raja Raghuvanshi through a distinctive tattoo on the deceased’s right-hand reading “Raja.”

The SP also informed that a lady’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 seized at the spot.

The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death. 

“The police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage,” Syiem said. 

He however said that the whereabouts of the deceased’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, remain unknown. 

According to him, the discovery of the body was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the police, who conducted an extensive search operation despite challenging weather conditions over the past few days.

As per official reports, on May 22, a tourist couple Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam (his wife) arrived at Mawlakhiat village (Elaka Mynteng) on a rented scooty to visit the Double Decker Root Bridge in Nongriat. They engaged a local guide, Bha Wansai, and stayed overnight at Shipara Homestay in Nongriat, they checked out at 06:00 on the 23rd May 2025, intending to return to Mawlakhiat. No confirmed sightings of the couple trekking from Nongriat to Mawlakhiat or retrieving their scooty from the Mawlakhiat parking lot were reported, despite heavy tourist activity. 

On May 24, at 9:00 pm, the Sordar of Sohrarim reported an abandoned scooty, traced to the couple via E-Challan on 25 May 2025 at 2:30 pm. An FIR in, filed by relatives, has been registered, the ADC of Sohra had said.