Shillong, June 2: After an eight-day search, the highly decomposed body of Raja Raghuvanshi, who went missing with his wife while on a honeymoon to Sohra, was recovered from a deep gorge today at Weisawdong falls, after it was spotted by a police drone, the deceased wife, Sonam however is yet to be found.
“A murder case has been registered, and a special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the case, Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses,” East Khasi Hills district police chief Vivek Syiem said in a statement.
The tourist couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh went missing on May 23.
Syiem said as the search party involving Police, SDRF, SOT and the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Mountaineering Club continued their search, the police drone spotted the dead body in the deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang at 11.48 am.
“Due to the steep and inaccessible terrain, the body was taken to the above parking lot for Magisterial Inquest, which was conducted by Adiel R. Kyntan, MCS, Executive Magistrate, Sohra, between 3:30 pm and 4 pm. The inquest was carried out in the presence of independent witnesses from the area,” he said adding, “The relatives of the deceased identified the body as that of Raja Raghuvanshi through a distinctive tattoo on the deceased’s right-hand reading Raja.”
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The SP also informed that a lady’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40, a part of LCD screen of a Vivo mobile phone and a smartwatch from the wrist of the deceased were seized at the spot.
The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.
“The police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage,” Syiem said. He however said that the whereabouts of the deceased’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, remain unknown.
He said the discovery of the body was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the police, who conducted an extensive search operation despite challenging weather conditions over the past few days.
(Newmai News Network)