The SDRF and SOT have recovered a ‘Dao’ (A machete-like tool used by the Khasi tribe for agricultural purposes) used for the crime and also the victim’s mobile phone. His wife is still missing and we will resume our search operation to trace her on Wednesday morning. The motive of the crime is yet to be known. We need to collect more evidence to ascertain what was the motive behind the crime.
-East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem talking to media persons on Tuesday evening
Bhopal: Meghalaya police confirmed Tuesday evening Raja Raghuvanshi,30, the trader from Indore who was reported missing on May 23 at Sohra (Cherrapunji) was murdered by some unknown criminals and that the weapon used in the crime was recovered too.
Raja’s wife Sonam Raghuvanshi, 27, is still missing and the search operation to find her continues to go on to be resumed on Wednesday morning, said police.
Thus, the worst fear that the couple who had reached Meghalaya on May 20 on a honeymoon trip fell prey to some local gangs of criminals has come true now on the 12th day of their going missing from Sohra.
Sohra is more than 50 kilometers away from Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya. The scooty they had hired to reach Sohra was found more than 20 kilometers away from the spot from where they had gone missing at Sohra raising suspicion in family members’ mind that the couple had been kidnapped by criminals.
Raja Raghuvanshi’s decomposed body was recovered from a gorge near Wei Sawdong Falls close to Sohra which falls under Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district on Monday.
RECOVERY OF CRIME WEAPON AND MOBILE PHONE
The SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and SOT (Special Operation Team) recovered the mobile phone of the victim and also the weapon used in the crime. It’s a Dao (A machete-like tool used by the Khasi tribe for agricultural purposes) that has been seized, said the East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem talking to newspersons in Shillong.
“The Gorge is about three layers and the SDRF and SOT went right to the last layer where they recovered phone of the victim and also the weapon which was used (in the crime)”, said the district police chief.
However, he added, wife of the deceased (Sonam Raghuvanshi had not been found yet.
SEARCH OPERATION TO RESUME ON WEDNESDAY MORNING
“Tomorrow, again we will resume our search in the same area and also in the adjoining areas. We will cover those areas one or two km from that place”, he announced.
In reply to a question he said, “It is yet to be ascertained if the motive was robbery or if there was any vendetta or there was any form of hatred or any issue between the accused and the victims, behind the crime. We need to find that out. So, facts will come forth as and when we investigate.”
MORE EVIDENCE NEEDED TO ASCERTAIN MOTIVE BEHIND CRIME
“We need to look for more evidence at the place (where the body was found) and also elsewhere. Then only we can come to certain conclusion. But at this juncture it’s premature to say anything. We need to find more evidence. Our aim is to get more evidence and then we can say something concrete. Otherwise, it would be just mere assumptions”, said the police chief.
NO WORD ON POSTMORTEM REPORT
However, the police chief didn’t share if the police had received the postmortem report.
Looking into all the possible angles behind the death the police lodged an FIR for murder after the decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi was found on Monday. A special investigation team was also formed to probe into the circumstances that led to death of Raja Raghuvanshi and disappearance of his wife.
On Monday, the SP Vivek Syiem said, “A lady’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40 medicine, a part of LCD screen of a Vivo mobile phone and smart watch were recovered from the body.”
Honeymoon Horror: If Not Murder Then Where Are My Brother’s Belongings, Asks Vipin Raghuvanshi
BROTHER’S DEMAND FOR CBI PROBE
On Tuesday morning, hours before the murder weapon was seized and the police finally confirmed about the crime Raja Raghuvanshi had been subjected to, his brother Vipin Raghuvansi demanded a CBI probe into, what he claimed, robbery and murder.
He said if it had not been murder his brother’s belongings like wallet, bracelet, chain, a bag and ring or at least some of these belongings would have been found from his body. But these belongings were missing. His mobile phone and power back-up battery are also missing. Also, the scooty they had hired was found more than 20 kilometers away from the spot from where they were said to have gone missing. This also suggested that there was some foul play.
Vipin said he had no trust in local police and Meghalaya government as they didn’t believe that there was any crime angle behind disappearance of his brother and sister-in-law.
“I want to see my sister-in-law alive and I hope that they would not leave any stone unturned in tracing her”, said Raghuvanshi.
Honeymoon Horror: Indore Trader’s Body Found In Shillong, Wife Still Missing, Murder Case Registered
Vipin raised several questions to debunk the theory that it was either a case of suicide or there was some enmity behind what could be a murder.
Vipin said his brother and his wife both were happy after their marriage on May 11. Why they should come as much as 2500 kilometers away from Indore to commit suicide”, he asked while adding the spot where they were said to have gone missing has a five-foot high wall where suicide didn’t look possible.
