Indore tourist found dead, wife missing in Meghalaya weeks after Hungarian traveller's fatal fall

Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya briefing the media on Indore couple missing case.

The body of Raja Raghuvanshi, a 28-year-old tourist from Indore, was recovered from a steep gorge in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills on Monday, eight days after he and his wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, went missing. The couple had been on their honeymoon in Shillong, the New Indian Express reported.

The discovery comes just weeks after another tourist tragedy in the region, raising fresh concerns over safety in Meghalaya’s rugged terrain. In April, the decomposed body of Hungarian traveller Zsolt Puskas was found in Cherrapunji after he went missing on 29 March. His remains were discovered in a remote, steep area near Ramdait village, close to the Tyrna route in Shella, pointing to a possible accidental fall.

Authorities identified Raja’s body through a distinctive tattoo of his name on his right hand. The recovery was made near the Weisawdong parking lot in Riat Arliang, Sohra (Cherrapunjee), following an intensive search involving the Meghalaya Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local mountaineers and residents.

The Hungarian tourist’s disappearance had similarly triggered a multi-agency search, with the embassy alerting local police on 2 April. Home Guards, SDRF and volunteers scoured the treacherous landscape before finding Puskas’ body in a decomposed state.

Alongside Raja’s body, investigators found a white women’s shirt, a strip of Pentra 40 (a medication), a fragment of a mobile phone’s LCD screen and a smartwatch. Sonam remains missing, deepening concerns over foul play, as per New Indian Express.

The couple had married on May 11 in Indore and arrived in Shillong via Bangalore on May 20 for their honeymoon. They had rented a scooty in Shillong and were last seen near Osara Hills on May 23. Their abandoned vehicle was later discovered and their phones were switched off, cutting off contact with their families.

A murder case has been registered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed. The Meghalaya government in a statement: “Due to the steep and inaccessible terrain, the body was brought to the parking lot for a magisterial inquest. Following the inquest, the body was sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for autopsy. No possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out.”

As per AajTak, Raja’s brother, Vipin and Sonam’s brother, Govind, have accused Shillong Police of slow action, claiming key witnesses, including guides and locals, were not properly questioned initially. The family also noted that neither mobile phones, purses, nor jewellery were recovered, raising further suspicions.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed grief on social media: "The news of finding the dead body of Raja Raghuvanshi ji, a resident of Indore, who had gone to visit Meghalaya after marriage is very sad. The search for his wife Mrs. Sonam is on. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family in this difficult time."

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya also extended condolences, with Vijayvargiya adding: "Despite heavy rains, police and NDRF teams recovered man's body. Search for his wife underway."

Rescue operations continue for Sonam, though heavy rain and rough terrain have hampered efforts. Authorities remain tight-lipped about potential leads but assure a thorough investigation.