Shillong, June 9 (UNI) Meghalaya Police on Monday said the breakthrough in the murder case of Raja Raghuvanshi, a tourist from Madhya Pradesh, was possible due to its commitment to deliver “justice with integrity, professionalism, and perseverance.”
Meghalaya Chief minister Conrad Sangma has congratulated the Meghalaya police for cracking the sensational case.
“Three individuals have been apprehended — two from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and one from Lalitpur in Uttar Pradesh. These arrests mark a decisive development in unravelling the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Raja Raghuvanshi,” Dr Sacheng R. Marak, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, said.
Sonam, wife of Raja Raghuvansh, has reportedly surrendered at the Nandganj police station in Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh, and is currently in the custody of UP Police, Marak said. He said necessary legal protocols are being followed for her transit and formal statement.
“This breakthrough in the case was achieved following sustained investigation efforts and multi-state coordination,” said the police officer.
“We are deeply grateful to the families, the citizens of Meghalaya, and our inter-state counterparts for their cooperation and support throughout this complex investigation,” Marak added.
Moreover, he said the result is the “outcome of round-the-clock efforts by the Meghalaya Police’s Special Investigation Team, supported by the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, local intelligence units, and law enforcement agencies across multiple states.”
“Despite geographical and logistical challenges, and sustained public and media scrutiny, our teams remained steadfast in their commitment to upholding the rule of law,” Marak said.
A case of murder is being registered and a Special Investigation Team is conducting the investigation into cold-blooded murder of Raja.
The couple from Madhya Pradesh’s Indore had an arranged marriage on May 11 and they arrived in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong on May 21 on a honeymoon.
On May 22, the newlywed couple rode all the way on their rented two wheeler to Sohra, the wettest place on earth, in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district as part of their honeymoon.
The couple had checked in at Shipara Homestay at Nongriat village, home to the famed living double decker root bridge on May 22. Raja and Sonam checked out of their homestay early in the morning.
Albert Pde, a tour guide said that he had seen the couple midway through the trek, returning from Nongriat. They were accompanied by three other male tourists, he told the police.
“Raja was walking with the three men, while Sonam was walking slowly behind them,” Pde said.
The disappearance of the couple came to light when a two-wheeler which they had hired was found abandoned on May 24 at Sohrarim village between Shillong and Sohra road.
On June 2, Meghalaya Police retrieved the decomposed body of Raja from a deep gorge below the Wei Sawdong parking lot at Riat Arliang in Sohra.
On June 4, Meghalaya Police recovered a raincoat stained with what looked like blood from a gorge at Mawkma village.
Police investigation said that Raja was killed in cold blood. The police also recovered a machete believed to be the murder weapon from the crime scene.
Investigators said all material evidence recovered from the crime scene would be sent to Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Hyderabad for further analysis.
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