Honeymoon murder: Raja Raghuvanshi suffered 3 blows to head, reveal cops after crime scene recreation

Raja Raghuvanshi's decomposed body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong Falls on June 2. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

The Meghalaya Police on Tuesday revealed that Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, who was murdered on May 23 while honeymooning in the northeastern state, suffered three blows to his head. The cops are yet to recover one of the machetes used in the crime.

"There were three blows - first by Vishal, second by Anand and the last blow by Akash," Vivek Syiem, East Khasi Hills SP, said after crime scene recreation in Meghalaya's Sohra earlier today. All the accused involved in Raja Raghuvanshi's murder, including his wife Sonam, were taken to Sohra to recreate the crime scene.

According to Syiem, the reconstruction of the crime scene was very successful as the police "got a very clear picture now."

The couple - Raja and Sonam - went missing on May 23 while on their honeymoon in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills. While Raja's decomposed body was found in a gorge near the Weisawdong Falls on June 2, Sonam - accused of orchestrating the murder of her husband - emerged in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur in the early hours of June 9 and surrendered.

"The Special Investigation Team (SIT) today visited several places to re-play how the accused did it (commited the crime). We started from the parking lot where they had kept their two-wheelers. We went to the viewpoint, and ascertained who was standing where just before the murder. There were three blows - first by Vishal aka Vicky, second by Anand and the last blow by Akash," Syiem said.

According to the East Khasi Hills SP, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is trying to recover the second weapon used by the accused in Raja's killing. "We have ascertained that one more machete needs to be recovered. The accused replayed how they threw the machete. SDRF are trying to recover the second weapon," he said.

The victim's mobile phone was damaged by Sonam who later asked Vishal to take care of it. "We have ascertained what happened to Raja's mobile phone. It was damaged by Sonam and then by Vishal ... It was all pre-planned," Syiem added.

Sonam, who had hired three hitmen for her husband's murder, reportedly fled the crime scene as Raja started to bleed. "The first hit was by Vishal aka Vicky ... When Raja was hit and started bleeding, Sonam moved away from the spot. The three accused threw the body down," the SP confirmed.

All five accused, including Sonam Raghuvanshi, are currently in Meghalaya Police's custody. Raj Kushwaha, Sonam's lover, has been identified as the mastermind behind the killing.