Honeymoon Killing: Bride Offers ₹20 Lakh Bounty

 Shillong, June 11, 2025:

In a startling Meghalayan development, authorities have disclosed that Sonam Raghuvanshi, 25, allegedly paid ₹20 lakh to hire assassins to kill her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, while they were on their honeymoon. Calls for a more thorough investigation have been sparked by the murder, which has shocked the nation. 

The newlyweds arrived in the state on May 20th for their honeymoon, according to the Meghalaya Police Special Investigation Team (SIT). They were last observed leaving a homestay in Nongriat, Cherrapunji, on May 23. On June 2, Raja's body was found with his throat slit in a deep gorge close to Wei Sawdong Falls. A traditional Khasi blade, a bloodstained dao, was found close to the scene.

Sonam allegedly admitted to planning the murder with the assistance of four accomplices while being questioned. According to reports, she immediately took ₹15,000 out of her husband's wallet and had previously paid ₹50,000 to cover planning and travel costs. According to the police, she used the promise of ₹20 lakh in total to entice the murderers. A senior investigating officer claimed that she coerced the three by offering them ₹15 lakh if they finished the assignment. Sonam's suspected partner, Raj Kushwaha, was involved in the premeditated and planned murder, according to another officer.

Sonam stayed on the run until giving up on June 9 in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. She was brought to the crime scene to help with the reconstruction and is currently being held by the police. Four men have been taken into custody by the SIT: Vishal Singh Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha, Anand Kurmi, and Akash Rajput. One suspect is still at large. On May 11, Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi, a 30-year-old Indore native, were married. His family is still in shock. Sonam alone is able to provide clarification. A family member told the media, "She should be punished if she is guilty."

Analysis is being done on digital evidence, such as CCTV footage and data from mobile phones. Forensic reports on the weapon and other items found at the scene are also awaited by the police. The family of Raja has called for an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), citing shortcomings and voicing alarm over the savagery of the crime. In the meantime, the SIT keeps looking into communication logs and financial documents to determine the full motivation behind the premeditated killing. A honeymoon turned horror story now entangled in treachery, greed, and cold-blooded conspiracy, the case is being watched closely by the country.