Shillong, June 2 — In a grim development following the mysterious disappearance of newlyweds Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi, the East Khasi Hills District Police on Monday confirmed the recovery of Raja’s decomposed body from a steep gorge near Weisawdong Falls, Sohra. The discovery, made on the eighth day of intensive search efforts, has prompted the police to register a case of murder and announce the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident from every possible angle.
“After an 8-day search, since the couple Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi went missing on the 23rd of May 2025, today, on the 2nd of June 2025, the search party involving Police, SDRF, SOT, and the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure and Mountaineering Club continued their search,” confirmed Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem. “The police drone spotted the dead body in the deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang at 11:48 AM.”
Given the steep and treacherous terrain, the body was retrieved with great difficulty and brought up to the Weisawdong parking lot for legal formalities. A Magisterial Inquest was carried out by Executive Magistrate Smti Adiel R. Kyntan, MCS, between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM in the presence of independent local witnesses.
Identification was made by the relatives of the deceased, who recognized Raja Raghuvanshi through a tattoo on his right hand that read “Raja.” Several personal items were recovered at the scene, including a lady’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40 tablets, a fragment of an LCD screen from a Vivo mobile phone, and a smartwatch still worn by the deceased.
The body has since been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death. Authorities stressed that the investigation remains wide open. “The police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage,” the SP added.
With the whereabouts of Sonam Raghuvanshi still unknown, concern continues to mount. The discovery of Raja’s body under such suspicious circumstances has escalated the case to a high-priority criminal investigation. “A case of murder is being registered. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is being formed to conduct the investigation,” the SP confirmed.
The search and recovery efforts were carried out under difficult weather conditions, with multiple agencies working in tandem over the past several days. The police have assured the public and the victim’s family that every lead will be pursued and that further updates will be shared as the investigation advances.
