2 murder weapons, 3 blows: Meghalaya Police reveals new details in Raja Raghuvanshi's honeymoon killing
As per Meghalaya Police's SIT probe, one of the machetes used to murder Raja Raghuvanshi was recovered. The search for the second murder weapon is underway.
Meghalaya police on Tuesday revealed a key development in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case and stated that two murder weapons were used to kill the Indore man.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem stated that the police has a "clear picture" of the crime after reconstructing the crime scene.
As per Meghalaya Police's SIT probe, one of the machetes used to murder Raja Raghuvanshi was recovered.
"We have recovered a sharp weapon which had been purchased by the accused from Guwahati to commit the murder," a senior police official told ANI. The search for the second murder weapon is underway.
‘Three blows’
As per news agency PTI, Meghalaya police are now conducting the search for the second murder weapon used in the killing of Raja Raghuvanshi.
"The SIT today visited several places to re-play how the accused did it. 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," Syiem told PTI.
"There were three blows - first by Vishal, second by Anand and the last blow by Akash. We have ascertained that one more machete still needs to be recovered. The accused replayed how they threw the machete. SDRF are trying to recover the second weapon," the official added further.
The Meghalaya police officer added that the first hit to kill Raja was from Vishal, during which Sonam moved away from the spot and Raja's body was thrown into the gorge.
A total of five people have been arrested for the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, including his wife Sonam Raghuvanshi.
Four others - Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, Raj Singh Kushwaha, and Anand, were arrested for aiding and executing the murder.
Meghalaya honeymoon murder case - A recap
Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi got married on May 11 and soon after left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya. The couple was reported missing on may 23 by family members in Indore after they failed to reach the duo.
However, a week later Raja Raghuvanshi's body was found on June 2 in a gorge near Sohra (Cherrapunji) in Meghalaya. After initial investigation, Meghalaya police converted the missing persons case into a murder case, with Sonam Raghuvanshi named as the prime suspect.
Sonam was found a week later near a roadside dhaba along the Varanasi-Ghazipur highway, where she surrendered herself. Along with Sonam, Raj Kushwaha, her alleged lover and three other accomplices were arrested by Meghalaya and Indore police in relation to the case.
Sonam and Raj have been accused of plotting the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, while the remaining three have been accused of carrying out the plan in Meghalaya.
