A newly married couple from Indore who had gone to Shillong for their honeymoon had gone missing earlier this month. Authorities have now recovered the body of the husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, from a deep gorge near the Double Decker trail. His wife, Sonam, is still untraceable. The couple had rented a scooter for sightseeing. The vehicle was later found in a fallen state, raising concerns. Raja’s family identified his body after it was discovered in a decomposed condition. However, there has been no clue about Sonam's whereabouts.
Raja and Sonam lost contact with their family after the first three days of the trip. Both of their mobile phones were switched off, which alarmed their relatives. The family reached Shillong and requested local authorities to help in the search. They accused the police of not cooperating and announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information about the couple.
Read Also | Ayodhya: Gold-Plated Shikhara Installed at Ram Mandir Ahead of Second Pran Pratishtha Ceremony (Watch Video)
Despite the reward, no progress was made. The matter gained attention only after the media reported it. Authorities then recovered a body, which Raja’s family confirmed was his.
Raja was a transport businessman from Indore. He and Sonam were in regular contact with their family during the initial days of the trip. After renting a scooter, they went off the radar. When their phones went unreachable, the family became anxious and travelled to Shillong to seek help.
Initially, local police reportedly did not take the case seriously. It was only after senior leaders intervened that action began. BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya contacted the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, and the Union Home Ministry also stepped in. Meghalaya police then began a formal search operation.
Bad weather conditions reportedly hampered the search. Shillong police are now focusing on locating Sonam, who remains missing.