The North News
Chandigarh, June 11
In the quiet hillscapes of Meghalaya, where newlyweds often go to begin a new chapter in life, a brutal murder unfolded — not only ending the life of a young businessman from Indore but also sparking national outrage and emotional reckoning. Raja Raghuvanshi was not a celebrity, nor was his life until recently the subject of headlines. He was a 28-year-old man who ran a business and believed in love. Yet, within seven days of their wedding, he was dead. His alleged killer? The very woman he had just married.
As the details continue to emerge — both chilling and calculated — the mood in Raja’s hometown of Indore is not one of grief alone, but of betrayal and fury. The words “Sonam bewafa hai” (Sonam is unfaithful) are not just being spoken in hushed circles but are being shouted across television screens, in online comments.
The sister of an Indore-based businessman has strongly criticised Sonam Raghuvanshi, following the tragic death of her brother. She accused Sonam of betrayal, stating that if she had feelings for someone else, she could have chosen to leave rather than resort to violence. “My brother had vowed to be with Sonam for seven lifetimes, yet she could not stay with him for even seven days. What did he do that led to his murder?” she questioned.
Sonam and Raja were married on 11 May. On 20 May, they left for their honeymoon with a one-way ticket to Meghalaya. What was meant to be a romantic getaway turned fatal within three days. According to media reports and statements from Raja’s grieving family, Sonam lured him to a remote location for a “photoshoot” on 23 May — a day that now lives in infamy for the Raghuvanshi family. It is claimed that Sonam, walking behind her husband and three hired assailants, shouted the fatal command: “Kill him.” Raja never returned.
The police narrative is equally unsettling. Sonam, according to investigators, had no desire to marry Raja and had remained in contact with her alleged lover, Raj, throughout the planning of the murder. Though Raj was not present at the scene, sources say he coordinated the logistics, and his friends are believed to be the contracted killers. A promised payment of ₹20 lakh was allegedly the price placed on Raja’s life.
What makes this case so visceral — so widely condemned — is not just the act of killing but the layers of deception. Sonam reportedly refused physical intimacy with her husband, citing religious observances at the Kamakhya Temple before “consummating” the marriage. Her in-laws, now left in shock, claim this was a ruse — just another calculated move in a plot that had been rehearsed well before the wedding day.
As the police build their case and media scrutiny intensifies, the real question becomes: what does this case represent for India?
It’s easy to frame it as just another true crime saga, complete with betrayal, contract killers, and a love triangle turned fatal. But the outrage this case has stirred goes beyond the courtroom. The chant “Sonam bewafa hai” is no longer just a slogan. It has become a cry of collective betrayal — a symbolic accusation against those who misuse love and marriage for power, money, or revenge.
And yet, even in this storm of public emotion, a note of caution is necessary. The judicial process must be allowed to take its course. Sonam, like anyone accused of a crime, has the right to defend herself in court. But the public grief cannot be dismissed either. Raja’s death was not just a murder — it was a heartbreak broadcast to the entire nation.
