SHILLONG, June 3 — In a crucial breakthrough in the Weisawdong Gorge murder investigation, East Khasi Hills Police have recovered the dao suspected to be the murder weapon, along with the victim’s mobile phone, from the deepest layer of the gorge.
Superintendent of Police East Khasi Hills Vivek Syiem said, the ongoing search operation—now focused on the lowest of the gorge’s three tiers—is being carried out by teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and Special Operations Team.
The couple, who arrived in Nongriat on May 22, were last seen on May 23 after checking out of Shipara Homestay with a local guide. Their scooty, later found abandoned at Sohrarim on May 24, triggered the intensive search.
“We have recovered the phone of the victim, and we have also recovered the weapon which was used — it was a dao, that has been seized,” confirmed the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills. “Sonam Raghuvanshi has not been found yet. Tomorrow we will resume our search in the same area and in the adjoining areas which are close by. The gorge extends quite a distance — nearly 1 to 2 kilometers — and it’s aligned with the current site of recovery. Our priority right now is looking for Sonam Raghuvanshi.”
The missing woman, Sonam Raghuvanshi, is the wife of Raja Raghuvanshi.
Describing the murder as a “clear case of homicide,” the SP stated, “No doubt it is a case of homicide. The person has been murdered — there is no question about it. We have registered a case for murder, common intention, and for destruction of evidence and non-disclosure, since the body was thrown, there was an attempt to hide all sorts of evidence.”
When questioned about possible motives, the SP said, “We cannot rule out any possibility. Let the facts come in. Yes, the weapon was used for murder. But we need to look for more evidence — at the place of occurrence and elsewhere — only then can we come to a conclusion.”
To expedite the investigation, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted with the Superintendent of Police, City, designated as its head. “We have formed an SIT investigating this case. The team will be headed by the Superintendent of Police, City. Four DSPs — DSP Crime, DSP City, DSP Ops, and SDPO Sohra — are part of the core team, along with two sub-inspectors. One is the IO (Investigating Officer) and another is assisting the IO,” the SP said.
As the manhunt for Sonam Raghuvanshi continues in and around Weisawdong Falls, the recovery of the murder weapon marks a significant step in unraveling the chilling crime that has shocked both Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh.
