A tourist from Indore, Raja Raghuvanshi (29), was found dead in a deep gorge in Meghalaya, 11 days after he and his wife went missing. The police found a machete ( traditionally called a "dao") next to his body and confirmed that he was murdered.

His body was found about 20 km away from the homestay where he had been staying with his wife, Sonam. Police also recovered his mobile phone and the weapon used in the crime.“There is no doubt this was a murder,” said East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem. The search for his wife is still going on.

The couple went missing on May 23, just a few hours after checking out of their homestay in Nongriat village, East Khasi Hills district, Meghalaya. The next day, police found their rented scooter abandoned near Sohrarim village, a place often visited by tourists. At the spot, police also found a woman’s shirt, some medicines, a piece of a mobile phone screen, and a smartwatch. A murder case has been filed.

Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was later identified by his brother, who recognised a tattoo on Raja’s right hand. His family believes it was a murder because his gold rings, chain, and wallet were missing. They have asked for the case to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a deeper investigation.

Police have brought in the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to search for Sonam, who is still missing. Heavy rain in Meghalaya, with over 500 mm recorded, has made the search difficult. NDRF DIG Mohsen Shahedi said that their team from Assam joined the search. They found the man’s body, but the woman is still untraceable due to the bad weather.

Indore MPs Shankar Lalwani and Sumer Singh Solanki are closely watching the situation. Lalwani told India Today that the case clearly looks like murder and urged the police to find those responsible. He also visited Shillong to meet officials and ask them to act faster.“This is clearly a murder case. Even the police have said so. This area is popular with tourists. The government must take steps to ensure safety. The woman is still missing, and the search should be quicker,” said Lalwani.

This is the second such case in the area recently. In April, a Hungarian tourist named Puskas Zsolt went missing and was found dead after 12 days. That case did not involve foul play. After these events, authorities have warned tourists not to travel alone in remote forest areas without proper guides.