In a stunning revelation, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem on Thursday laid bare the harrowing details behind the murder of Raja Raghuwanshi, calling it a “pre-meditated conspiracy” orchestrated by Raj Kushwaha, the alleged lover of the victim’s wife, Sonam Raghuwanshi.
Addressing the media, SP Syiem dismissed speculations of a contract killing and instead described the act as a crime carried out by Kushwaha’s close associates, “as a favour,” highlighting the deep personal motives behind the killing.
“Raj is the mastermind behind Raja’s murder,” said Syiem. “The plot was his idea, and Sonam, Raja’s wife, played an active role in its execution.”According to the investigation, Kushwaha had earlier devised multiple plans to fake Sonam’s death—first by drowning her, then by burning a woman’s corpse alongside her scooter to create the illusion of her death. Both plots failed.
Sonam married Raja on May 11. Days later, the couple visited Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, unaware that their trip was being shadowed by Kushwaha’s three accomplices—Vishal, Anand, and Akash (Raj’s cousin)—who arrived in Guwahati on May 19, reportedly to execute the murder.
The initial attempt to kill Raja in Guwahati failed, prompting Sonam to suggest Sohra (Cherrapunji) as an alternate location. The group reconvened there, and in a chilling act, murdered Raja and dumped his body into a gorge. Sonam was reportedly present at the crime scene.
Detailed Timeline:
- 2:18 PM (Day of Crime): All accused fled after committing the murder.
- Sonam gave her raincoat to Akash to hide bloodstains on his shirt.
- She then rode away on a scooty and discarded the raincoat at AV Point.
- Akash followed, with Sonam as pillion.
- The scooty, originally rented by Raja, was later abandoned near the Sohra border by Anand.
Elaborate Escape Plan:
Police uncovered a calculated escape route:
Sonam travelled from Guwahati to Siliguri by bus, then to Patna, Ara, Lucknow, and finally Indore—using a burqa delivered by Vishal under Raj’s direction.
As the investigation tightened, Raj instructed Sonam to leave Indore and to falsely claim she had been kidnapped and escaped, in a desperate attempt to mislead authorities. “All five accused have now been arrested. Interrogations are ongoing and we plan to recreate the crime scene shortly,” SP Syiem confirmed.
