Shillong, June 2: Following the recovery of the body of Raja Raghuvanshi, one of the two tourists reported missing, from a deep gorge below the Weisawdong Parking Lot at Riat Arliang on Monday after an intensive 8-day search operation, Meghalaya Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to further investigate the case and rule out any foul play.
“A murder case has been registered and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to investigate into 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 in Madhya Pradesh went missing in Sohra (Cherrapunji) on May 23.
In an official statement, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said that at approximately 11:48 AM, a police drone located the body during a coordinated search involving the Police Department, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Special Operations Team (SOT), and the West Jaintia Hills District Adventure Mountaineering Club.
Due to the steep and inaccessible terrain, the body was retrieved and brought up to the Weisawdong Parking Lot. A magisterial inquest was conducted on-site between 3:30 PM and 4:00 PM by Executive Magistrate Adiel R. Kyntan, in the presence of independent local witnesses. The deceased was positively identified by relatives through a distinctive tattoo on his right hand bearing the name “Raja.”
Items recovered from the scene include a woman’s white shirt, a strip of Pentra 40 medication, a part of an LCD screen from a Vivo mobile phone, and a smartwatch that was on the deceased’s wrist.
The body has been sent to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong, for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
Police have not ruled out foul play and are treating the case as a suspected murder. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is being constituted to lead the probe. “The police are actively investigating the case, and no possibilities, including foul play, have been ruled out at this stage,” Syiem said.
The whereabouts of Raja’s wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, remain unknown. Authorities continue to search for her amid ongoing inclement weather and difficult terrain.
Syiem lauded the persistent efforts of the rescue teams, noting that the discovery was the result of tireless work under challenging conditions. Further updates will be issued as the investigation progresses.
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