How 'brand new' machete led cops to Raja Raghuvanshi killers - 'Not the local Khasi-style blades'

Sonam Raghuwanshi and Raja Raghuvanshi

The murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, whose body was found near Weisawdong Falls in Sohra on June 2, took a decisive turn after investigators zeroed in on an unusual weapon, a non-local machete and crucial eyewitness accounts that helped reconstruct the couple’s final hours.

The case, initially shrouded in mystery, gained traction when police discovered a bloodstained dao (machete) near Raja’s body at the Riat Arliang parking lot in Umblai. Unlike the traditional Khasi-style blades common in Meghalaya, this weapon appeared brand new, with no signs of wear, suggesting it had been brought in deliberately, News18 reported.

Investigators noted that the machete wasn’t a local tool, pointing to the possibility of premeditation. The discovery shifted the probe towards outsiders, with suspicions that the killers had procured the weapon specifically for the crime.

According to PTI, the post-mortem report of Raja Raghuvanshi has confirmed the violent nature of his killing, with forensic experts identifying two deep, fatal wounds inflicted by a sharp weapon. The autopsy, conducted at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), revealed one gash to the back of the head and another to the front - injuries consistent with the bloodstained machete found near his body.

“There are two sharp cuts on the head of the deceased—one behind and one in the front,” East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem had earlier told PTI. He added that the police saw two cuts on Raja's head during the inquest at the site, where his body was found.

Eyewitnesses played a pivotal role in piecing together the timeline. Albert Pde, a guide from Mawlakhiat village, was among the last to see Raja and his wife, Sonam, alive. He recalled spotting the couple on May 23 around 10 am near Nongriat, accompanied by three Hindi-speaking male tourists. Raja walked ahead with the group while Sonam trailed behind, according to News18.

Pde had offered guiding services the previous evening, but the couple declined. Another guide, Bhakupar Wansai, escorted them to Shipara Homestay on May 22. Sonam reportedly told him they planned to stay overnight and refused his offer to accompany them back.

In a dramatic twist to the case after several days of search and loose ends, Sonam Raghuvanshi reappeared late Monday night in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district, where she turned herself in to authorities after reaching out to her family by phone.

Police located her at Kashi Dhaba, a roadside eatery along the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway. She was first taken to Sadar Hospital for preliminary medical checks before being moved to a One Stop Centre, a facility dedicated to supporting women in crisis.