By Zaman Eddie Tongper
Raja Raghuvanshi who had gone honeymooning with his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi (married only on May 11, 2025) to the picturesque Sohra were reported to have mysteriously disappeared after the family members of the couple informed that both have remained incommunicado since May 24, 2025. The rescue teams organised by the district administration comprising Meghalaya police, SDRF, NDRF, and later joined by the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Sports & Mountaineering Club, and the locals of Sohra took up the arduous exercise and swung into action braving the rain and harsh weather to search for the missing couple in the gorges, precipices, waterfalls, jungles, and every conceivable place of Sohra area.
On June 2, 2025 the dead body of Raja Raghuvanshi was recovered from a gorge at Wei-Sawdong. Sonam, however, remained elusive. News of the recovery of Raja’s decomposed body immediately spread like wildfire (thanks to social media). In no time theories and speculations started flying thick and fast. To add to this confusion, some national media houses started tarring Sohra with their own analogy calling it “a crime prone area.” Even the family members of the couple joined the chorus and accused the locals of Sohra of kidnapping and human trafficking. The mindless and unsubstantiated accusations hurled at the people of Sohra and the state in general spread like wildfire. across the country and even abroad thereby casting serious aspersions on the safety of tourists who visit Sohra and Meghalaya. This issue was further compounded when the police apart from the search operation were unable to shed light on the whereabouts of Sonam. Police were actually quietly piecing together evidence. But the Raghuvanshi family started questioning the ability and competence of the state police to solve the case and demanded handing over of the investigation to the CBI.The news that broke out in the early hours of June 9, 2025 that Sonam and her accomplices were caught, brought great relief to the people of Sohra and Meghalaya. A thousand salutes to Meghalaya Police for not only cracking the case within 7 days but for salvaging the honour, prestige, and pride of Meghalaya. Heartfelt gratitude also goes to all the members of the rescue teams who did an excellent job in retrieving the dead body of Raja. Just imagine had police not been able to nab Sonam on time, who was already at Ghazipur, she could have slipped off to Nepal which is only about 6 hours’ drive, following which her arrest would have been a daunting task. In such a scenario what would happen to tourism in Sohra? I shudder to think of the consequences.
Today we can walk with our heads held high as vindicated people. The populace of Sohra can again afford to smile with their good name being redeemed.
Tourists can take solace from the fact that Sohra is a safe place to visit, just as it has always been. On June 10, 2025 the people of Sohra organised a rally with a banner carrying the photo of late Raja Raghuvanshi as a mark of respect to the departed soul. followed with prayers and a candle light vigil in his honour. Such was the heart-touching exhibition of love and compassion demonstrated by the people of Sohra! This action bears testimony to the good nature and amiable character of the people of Sohra.
Meghalaya Police have proved their critics wrong on all counts. As brickbats were hurled at them and they were accused of incompetence in their investigation, they remained cool and unprovoked but silently worked, burning the midnight oil to piece together the evidence collected before going for the jugular. This is absolute professionalism – ‘let the action do the talking.’ This is a police force that can deliver when it mattered the most. This is a police force that is second to none in the country, having competent officers like Vivek Syiem, IPS, the SP of East Khasi Hills and others working under the close watch of a no nonsense IPS officer, Ms Idashisha Nongrang, the DGP of Meghalaya.
There was a strong clamour from various quarters including the affected family members to hand over investigation of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation. But hats off to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and his Cabinet who stoically stood by the police force. He was right as Meghalaya Police did not let down the people and Government of Meghalaya. Besides, policing is a state subject. The Government knows better what course of action to take in dealing with the affairs of the state.
This unprecedented incident had temporarily unsettled and saddened the people of the Sohra. They feared that their livelihoods would be hit as tourists would be deterred from visiting Sohra but since the air of uncertainty is cleared with the splendid efforts of Meghalaya police, the inflow of visitors will undoubtedly continue and the tourism related business of the people of Sohra will carry on as usual.
That said there is a paramount need to have a robust security arrangement in place henceforth. The issue of security can no longer be taken lightly. It is better to be proactive than to be wise in hindsight. But here is a catch. The security arrangements cannot be too obvious with policemen in full accoutrements present for duty at tourist sites. Such an exercise may be counterproductive. as tourists may harbour thoughts of lurking dangers. This could discourage inflow of tourists to such places.
What is the way forward then when security arrangements cannot be dispensed with?
(a) Deployment of security personnel should be unobtrusive. This means security personnel are to be in civvies. These personnel will mingle with tourists and keep a watch on any suspicious elements present at the tourist spots with intent to commit mischief.
(b) Security arrangements must be meaningful by earmarking a dedicated strength specifically sanctioned for tourist security. This way the tourist sites will never be left sans security arrangement.
(c) A posse of security policemen may be stationed at vantage points to respond to any emergency calls immediately. Here lessons can be drawn from happened in the tourist spots at Pahalgam in Kashmir recently.
(d) Paul Lyngdoh, the Tourism Minister has candidly stated in a media interview that putting up CCTVs indiscriminately is intrusive. Secondly, while surveillance can enhance security, we must remain cognizant of individuals’ right to privacy; hence wholesale installation of CCTVs could be a cause for concern and must be approached with caution. Lyngdoh also mentioned the induction of “tourist buddies,” who will be trained both as guides and security facilitators. This is a good step forward. (e) Taking this concept a step further, it would be highly beneficial to integrate this service into a mobile application platform, similar to ride-hailing apps like Ola, Uber, or Rapido. Tourists visiting any part of Meghalaya could use the app to hire a certified local buddy who can offer cultural insights, guide services and basic security. Such a system would ensure both safety and convenience, all while providing employment to trained local youth and enhancing the tourist experience. The ability to access a guide on-demand, in real-time, from any destination in Meghalaya would be a game-changer for tourism in the region.
It’s time to act with all seriousness to meaningfully promote the tourism industry in the right direction as a viable means of livelihood for the people.
(The writer is Asstt. Professor, Tourism and Travel Management. Martin Luther Christian University)