Bride Plots Groom's Death on Honeymoon, Cops Say
View from Mawkdok Dympep Valley View Point, Cherrapunji, Meghalaya, India in April 2017. Photo by BroKholi94 under CC BY-SA 4.0.
On what should have been a romantic getaway in one of India's most scenic states, a newlywed couple vanished. Days later, only one returned — under arrest and facing chilling accusations. The story of Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi is unfolding with all the tension of a true-crime thriller and the heartbreak of a family tragedy.
A Mysterious Disappearance in Meghalaya
Sonam Raghuvanshi, 25, and Raja Raghuvanshi, 30, had only been married a few weeks when they set out for their honeymoon in Meghalaya, a northeastern state known for its foggy cliffs and lush valleys.
They arrived on May 20. By May 24, both had disappeared.
Raja's decomposed body was discovered on June 2 in a deep gorge, his throat reportedly slit, and personal belongings like a wallet, chain, and gold ring missing.
Initially, the bride's family believed she had also been abducted or killed. They mounted a national campaign, even writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanding justice for their missing daughter and her husband.
But the narrative flipped on June 9 when Sonam suddenly appeared, alone, on foot, at a roadside eatery in Uttar Pradesh.
From Missing Bride to Murder Suspect
Business owner Sahil Yadav said Sonam walked into his restaurant at 1 a.m., asked to borrow a phone, and then broke down in tears while speaking with her brother.
Police arrived within half an hour. By morning, the bride was in custody — not as a victim, but as a suspect.
Authorities allege Sonam conspired to kill her husband and hired four young men from Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to carry out the murder.
According to Meghalaya Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang, one suspect was arrested in Uttar Pradesh and two others were picked up in Indore. A fourth man was later captured in Meghalaya. Sonam surrendered the same day the raids occurred.
Police have not released an official motive but told the Hindustan Times there was speculation Sonam had been having an affair — potentially with one of the suspects.
Superintendent Vivek Syiem told reporters that "if you join the dots, then it would seem like it," but emphasized that investigators were still confirming those links, according to the BBC.
Family Divided, Truth Unclear
The news stunned both families. Sonam's father, Devi Singh, maintains his daughter is innocent and says the police are trying to trap his daughter in the case.
He accused Meghalaya police of fabricating evidence and called for a federal-level investigation through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
"My appeal to the government is to get a CBI inquiry done. Meghalaya Police is lying," Singh told the Hindustan Times. "They did not do any inquiry. I am 100% sure that Meghalaya Police is involved in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi."
Meanwhile, Raja's family has begun to acknowledge the evidence. Initially, his brother Vipin Raghuvanshi said he couldn't believe Sonam was involved. But after one of the arrested suspects was identified as a coworker from Sonam's office, Vipin told the BBC, "Only Sonam can clarify. If she's guilty, she should be punished."
More Arrests Likely
As of this writing, police are still searching for a fifth suspect. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma praised law enforcement's swift work, saying a "major breakthrough" was achieved within a week, according to PEOPLE.
Minister Alexander Laloo Hek also spoke out, claiming his government had been unfairly blamed during the investigation. "The truth has come out," he said during a press conference, according to PEOPLE.
Despite these developments, no confessions have been reported publicly, and investigators have not confirmed how the suspects allegedly coordinated the murder. Authorities are also working to determine the timeline between Raja's death and Sonam's reappearance — a gap filled with unanswered questions.
A Tragedy Without Closure
Was this a case of cold-blooded betrayal, or is Sonam being used as a convenient scapegoat in a botched investigation? Her surrender followed a wave of arrests, which raised questions about whether she was hiding or being protected.
For now, Sonam remains in custody, the case continues, and a family grieves a life that ended just weeks after it began a new chapter.
References: Missing Bride Surrenders to Police and Is Arrested After Allegedly Murdering Her Husband on Their Honeymoon | Missing Indian Bride Arrested for Allegedly Murdering Husband on Honeymoon | Who is Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of plotting her husband's murder during their honeymoon in Meghalaya?
