'3 non-local Hindi-speaking men'- How a tour guide helped solve Indore tourist’s murder

Sonam Raghuwanshi and Raja Raghuvanshi

A tour guide led Meghalaya Police to uncover Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder plot and arrest the victim’s wife, Sonam Raghuwanshi, for hiring three men to kill his husband during their honeymoon in Meghalaya in May, reported NDTV.

Guide Albert Pde, who was said to be the last person to see Raja alive on May 23, had spotted the victim walking with three men and his wife, the report added.

As per the report, May 23 was the third day of their honeymoon and both were spotted in Meghalaya's Mawlakhiat at 10 am. Pde had helped guide the newlywed couple a day earlier through a trek to Nongriat to visit the 'living roots' bridge.

The tour guide, in his statement, told the local police that he saw Raja and Sonam with three other men and none of them were locals as they all were talking to each other in Hindi, the report added.

Vishal Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha and Akash Rajput are the three accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case.Photo source: Indore Police pic.twitter.com/MLEavcbUL4

ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2025

As per the report, following the tour guide’s statement, three men identified as Vicky, Akash, and Anand were arrested in connection with the murder case. The police believe that the three men were hitmen and were hired by Sonam to murder her husband.

Sonam killed her husband to continue a pre-existing relationship with her partner - Raj Kushwaha - who has also been arrested in connection with the case. Kushwaha is the 'mastermind' behind Raja's death, the report added.