INDORE, June 10: Vipin Raghuvanshi, the elder brother of honeymooner Raja Raghuvanshi, whose ghastly murder in Meghalaya, allegedly at the behest of his wife Sonam, led to the arrest of four men, on Tuesday tendered an apology for giving statements against the Meghalaya government and the Meghalaya Police.
“We did not know that Meghalaya Police was conducting a secret operation to nab Raja’s killers. We had no intention of defaming the Meghalaya government. We are also grateful to the Madhya Pradesh government for supporting us in difficult times,” he added.
The grieving family has demanded the death penalty for all culprits.
“My son died in agony. All the culprits should be hanged to set an example, so that no family loses its son to such crime in future,” Raja’s father Ashok Raghuvanshi said.
The Raghuvanshi senior expressed disbelief over his newly-wed son returning to Indore in a coffin.
“My son’s body was mutilated. My family members didn’t allow me to have the last glimpse as they were concerned over my heart ailment,” he said, struggling to maintain his composure.
Initially, the family of Raja Raghuvanshi had accused the Meghalaya Police of negligence in expediting the investigations. However, the tone of this family has changed after new details emerged.
Raja’s mother, Uma Raghuvanshi, expressed deep anguish and demanded strict legal action.
“The reason behind the incident has come to light. Raja deserves justice, and all those responsible should be given the harshest punishment. I have only one request – if possible, they should be hanged,” she said.
Reflecting on Sonam’s entry into their lives, Uma Raghuvanshi said: “We never suspected her intentions. We were happy for Raja and didn’t think about the past or why she came into our house. No one could have imagined she would go so far as to get him killed. Had we sensed anything, we would never have allowed the marriage.”
“They should be punished severely. They have tarnished the country’s image and disgraced society. What they did to my son was beyond horrifying. The injuries they inflicted were so severe that when we saw his body ten days later, it was unbearable. They must feel the consequences of their actions,” she added.
Vipin also appealed to the people and legal community of Meghalaya, saying: “We urge the people of Meghalaya, whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism, to support us. We also request that no lawyer in the state should represent Sonam. Just as Meghalaya gained attention due to this case, we want justice for Raja to be equally highlighted.” (Agencies)
