Shillong, June 4: Several women’s organisations in the state have condemned the brutal murder of the tourist, Raja Raghuvanshi in Sohra.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the loved ones of Raja from Indore, who tragically lost his life while on his honeymoon in Sohra. We strongly condemn this unfortunate incident and urge the government to take immediate action to book the perpetrators and expedite the search for his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, who is still missing,” the Mothers’ Union said in a statement here.
The woman’s body from Tura also requested the government for proactive measures for the safety and security of tourists.
Condoling Raja’s murder, Civil Society Women’s Organisation president Agnes Kharshiing said the government should leave no stone unturned to find Sonam.
Police have recovered a bloodstained weapon (machete) which they believed was used in the murder of Raja, while a raincoat was also found in Mawkma village, a few kilometres from the gorge where Raja’s body was discovered.
Paul slams ‘biased’
national media
Amidst attempts by the national media to portray Meghalaya as a “crime hub” post the Sohra incident, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh slammed the national media for biased reporting towards the Northeast.
“They see the growth of tourism in Meghalaya as a threat to their growth,” he said.
Terming the murder of the Indore tourist in Sohra as an isolated case, he said nobody knows what exactly happened since the matter is still under investigation.
He also said that Sohra which is being portrayed in the most negative way has been a tourism hub for decades without a single blot on its character and without any record of violence in the past. “We had the first missionaries arriving there in 1841 and even Ramakrishna Mission has its headquarters in Sohra. This attitude of the national media only indicates their deep sense of malice towards Meghalaya and its people,” he said.
Mukul blames drugs abuse for Sohra incident
Opposition Leader Mukul Sangma blamed substance abuse for the incident involving the tourist couple in Sohra, and called on the state government to address the spread of drug abuse among youths.
Sangma questioned the implementation of the Safe and Secure Shillong initiative and MRSSA, arguing that the government’s plan to install CCTVs in tourist hotspots was a knee-jerk reaction.
He also stated that the recent violence in Star Cement was a result of substance abuse.
Sangma argued that the incident in Sohra can happen even in states without terrorism and militant activities.
He argued that the failure of the government to deal with peddlers led to the victims of substance abuse.
He cited the cartel bringing drugs to Meghalaya and urged all Northeastern states to break the cartel chain and save the future, insisting that this was not the time to play politics.
Mahila Cong cautions against jumping to conclusions
The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress (MPMC) on Thursday expressed shock over the incident.
“The husband’s dead body was found but the wife’s whereabouts is yet to be traced,” MPMC president Joplin Scott Shylla said in a statement.
She, however, said blaming the villagers of Sohra or the people of Meghalaya for that matter before the investigation is complete will be unfair and harmful.
“We don’t know the full truth yet. Investigations take time. Spreading hate, or calling the entire communities “criminals” only makes things worse — for everyone,” Shylla said.
She said this is a time for compassion, calm, and for facts to emerge, not a time for hate or division.
“Let’s stand for justice, but let’s also stand for humanity and respect. Please don’t share unverified claims or hateful messages. Let the law take its course. My thoughts are with the families affected,” she added.
