Meghalaya unites to defend its legacy

A honeymoon tragedy in Meghalaya sparked controversy, but locals united to defend their state's honour

- Nibir Deka

For a few days, Meghalaya, known for its clouds and picturesque beauty, became a place of safety concerns. This happened when a newlywed couple arrived for their honeymoon and went missing in the Sohra district. Sohra is home to Cherrapunji, once marketed as "India ka sabse jyada barish."

In those friendly yet harsh torrential rains, hundreds of personnel from the state police, NDRF, SDRF, and local villagers came together—not for a cultural festival, but to search for the missing couple.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE INCIDENT?

On May 23, the newlywed couple, Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi, left around 10 am for a trek and disappeared. Their scooter was found abandoned the next day on the Shillong-Sohra road, sparking a missing persons inquiry.

What followed were conspiracy theories alleging that the couple was murdered by locals. Sonam's family, from Madhya Pradesh, reportedly wrote to the Chief Minister, possibly requesting a CBI investigation. Social media was rife with trolling, with harsh comments targeting Meghalaya, some even accusing "NE tribals" of murder. This onslaught endangered the reputation of Meghalaya's police and locals, most of whom depend on tourism—from running cafes and shops to hosting guests in homestays.

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