Machete recovered in Weisawdong murder probe, SP city to lead SIT as homicide confirmed

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: In a major breakthrough in the Weisawdong Gorge murder investigation, the East Khasi Hills Police have recovered a dao (machete), believed to be the murder weapon, along with the victim’s mobile phone. Both items were retrieved from the lowest level of the three-tier Weisawdong Gorge during an intensive search operation.

Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem confirmed that the search efforts—now concentrated on the deepest section of the gorge—are being jointly conducted by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Special Operations Team (SOT).

The case involves a couple who had arrived in Nongriat on May 22 and were last seen on May 23 after checking out of Shipara Homestay accompanied by a local guide. Their scooter was later found abandoned near Sohrarim on May 24, prompting an extensive search operation in the surrounding areas.

“We have recovered the phone of the victim, and we have also recovered the weapon which was used — it was a dao, that has been seized,” said SP Syiem. He added that the search for the missing woman, Sonam Raghuvanshi, will continue in the same area and nearby regions. “The gorge stretches over a distance of nearly 1 to 2 kilometers and aligns with the current site of recovery. Our top priority is now to find Sonam Raghuvanshi.”

Sonam Raghuvanshi, who remains missing, is the wife of Raja Raghuvanshi.

SP Syiem confirmed that this is a case of murder. “There is no doubt—it is a clear case of homicide. The person has been murdered. A case has been registered under sections related to murder, common intention, destruction of evidence, and non-disclosure, as the body was thrown to conceal the crime,” he stated.

When asked about the possible motives, the SP said, “We cannot rule out any possibility at this stage. The murder weapon has been recovered, but we are still gathering more evidence from the crime scene and beyond. Only after collecting all the facts can we draw any conclusions.”

To fast-track the investigation, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, with the Superintendent of Police, City, appointed as the head of the team. “The SIT comprises four Deputy Superintendents of Police—DSP Crime, DSP City, DSP Operations, and SDPO Sohra—along with two Sub-Inspectors. One of them is the Investigating Officer (IO) and the other is assisting the IO,” SP Syiem informed.

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