Taking suo motu cognisance of the murder of an Indore tourist, Raja Raghuvanshi and the disappearance of his wife Sonam, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has given Meghalaya Police three days to file a detailed report of the case.
The commission said that the case raises an alarming suspicion of human trafficking to Bangladesh.
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to Director General of Police (DGP) Idashisha Nongrang directing that the accused be arrested without delay.
Rahatkar urged the DGP to intensify search operations through advanced means, including drone surveillance, search dogs, and specialised investigative teams.
She has called for a thorough exploration of all possible leads, forensic analysis, and, if necessary, cooperation with national investigative agencies.
“Recent findings, including bloodstained clothing and eyewitness accounts of the couple seen with unidentified men, indicate serious foul play,” the NCW Chairperson said.
The newly married Sonam and her husband Raja went missing on May 23. His body was recovered on June 2 from Riat Arliang near Weisawdong, while Sonam is still missing. Police believe that Raja was killed with a dao found near his body.
Sonam’s family fears she may have been kidnapped and taken over the international border into nearby Bangladesh. They have also cast doubt on the ability of the Meghalaya police to investigate the matter satisfactorily.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), state police, personnel from the Fire and Emergency Service and Tour Guides Association of Meghalaya are involved in the search operation.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by SP City is currently investigating the case.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to order a CBI probe
New CCTV footage shows that the couple left their luggage at a homestay in Sohra due to the lack of vacancies. They then travelled to Mawlakhiat on a rented scooty and trekked down to Nongriat where they stayed the night. In the CCTV footage, the raincoat worn by Sonam resembles the one recovered on June 4 near the Mawkma road.
On Saturday, a tourist guide, Albert Pde, revealed that he had seen the Indore couple with three other tourists while trekking back up from Nongriat village on the day they disappeared.
