Brother suspects Sonam Raghuvanshi was abducted by locals in Sohra
NEW DELHI/SHILLONG, June 5: Demand for a CBI inquiry into the mysterious death of a honeymooner from Indore and disappearance of his wife in Sohra area of Meghalaya has got shriller with the family members putting a large poster in Hindi in front of their house which translates to: “I Didn’t Die, I Was Killed”.
Outside the victim’s residence in Indore, the large poster bearing the couple’s photograph has drawn widespread public attention. The message reads: “The soul of Raja appeals to the Central and State Governments – I didn’t die, I was killed. Let the CBI investigate.”
As public outrage builds and more questions emerge, the grieving family continues its fight for a thorough and impartial investigation by the CBI.
The poster outside their home stands as a stark reminder that justice, for now, remains elusive.
The haunting message has added a chilling twist to what initially appeared to be a tragic accident.
The relatives strongly suspect foul play, believing the couple may have been abducted, robbed, and murdered.
The family suspects that Sonam was abducted by local people.
Sonam’s brother, Govind, told reporters the case is slowly opening up considering initial denial that incidents of crimes, like kidnapping or robbery against tourists, are common in the area.
He said there are still no clues regarding Sonam’s personal belongings – including two mobile phones and a handbag. The search operation has been conducted in all suspected areas. The NDRF and the SDRF are extensively searching the entire area, he said.
“The belongings of Sonam should have been found near the area where the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was found,” Govind said, adding the last known location of the newlywed couple’s mobile phones, according to the police, is the place where Raja’s body was recovered.
He questioned, “If there are no visitors in this area, then how is it that there are truckloads of garbage piled up at the 200 ft deep gorge?”
“It is only the local people who would know how to dump a dead body in this garbage. It looks like everything was planned,” Govind said.
Urging the government to continue with the search operation, he appealed to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Raja since it has now been proven that he was murdered.
Meanwhile, he alleged that the search team’s objective is to locate the body of Sonam. He said they should change this mindset and focus on rescuing her alive.
“As her brother, I have this inner feeling that she is still alive. Nothing will come of it if the approach is only to search for a dead body,” Govind said.
Replying to a query, he said Raja and Sonam initially planned a honeymoon trip to only Assam. He said the two decided to visit Shillong after reaching Assam.
“We had no idea about the conversation that led to their decision to visit Shillong and Sohra,” Sonam’s brother added.
In the meantime, the search for Sonam continues with a team comprising personnel from SDRF, NDRF, Sohra police station, Sohra Fire & Emergency Services, K9 and the Sohra unit of the Tour Guides’ Association of Meghalaya pressed into service.
East Khasi Hills SP, Vivek Syiem said that despite inclement weather, difficult terrain and low visibility due to dense fog on Thursday, the search team combed through adjoining areas of Wei Sawdong, AD Viewpoint and its vicinity. The officer-in-Charge of Sohra police station and other officers remained at the site throughout the day.
Authorities reported that NDRF and SDRF personnel had descended approximately 450 feet into the gorge where the body of Sonam’s husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, was recovered on Monday.
According to sources, the search may soon be redirected to another location a few kilometers away from the original recovery site.
Deputy Syiem of Hima Sohra, Marremdor Syiem, strongly condemned the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. He called on authorities to swiftly apprehend those responsible.
He also extended gratitude to the police department and local Dorbars for their continued assistance in the search efforts.
Additionally, he appealed to tourists visiting Sohra to hire trained local guides, especially during the monsoon season. He warned that tragic incidents like this could continue if tourists venture out alone without proper guidance.