Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], June 5 (HBTV): Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Thursday assured that justice would be served in the case of the Indore tourist who was murdered in Sohra, while rescue operations are ongoing to locate his missing wife. He declined to comment on demands for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, stating that the investigation currently underway is thorough.

Speaking to the media, Sangma said, ‘Justice will be served in the tragic case of the Indore tourist who was murdered in Sohra, and our rescue operations to locate his wife are ongoing.’

‘This incident has come as a shock to us, as something like this has never happened in Meghalaya. While the demand for a CBI probe has been raised, the investigation is currently underway, and the Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice,’ the Chief Minister added.

On Wednesday, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed after Meghalaya Police recovered the suspected murder weapon in the case of Raja Raghuvanshi, a tourist from Madhya Pradesh who went missing along with his wife Sonam, an official stated.

Superintendent of Police (SP) East Khasi Hills, Vivek Syiem, said that police had registered a case and seized a phone as part of the evidence. He confirmed that a postmortem was conducted on Raghuvanshi’s body on Tuesday.

‘The postmortem of the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was done. The case was registered, and a Special Investigation Team was formed, headed by the SP city. We recovered and seized the phone and the weapon (used in the crime),’ SP Syiem told ANI.

When asked about the whereabouts of Raghuvanshi's wife, Sonam, he said, ‘We have not found the body yet.’

The newlywed couple from Indore had gone missing in Shillong on May 23. Tragically, the husband's body was later found in a ditch, while the search for his wife continues, police said.

The couple had tied the knot on May 11 and left for a vacation in Shillong on May 20. Their last contact with family was on the afternoon of May 23, after which their phones were switched off.

Following reports of their disappearance, police launched a search operation. On Monday afternoon, Raja Raghuvanshi's body was recovered, but his wife remains untraceable.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP, Crime Branch) Rajesh Kumar Tripathi stated, ‘We had spoken with Vipin Raghuvanshi, brother of the missing man, and he confirmed that the dead body found was that of Raja Raghuvanshi. There is no information yet about the woman (his wife). The search operation continues with assistance from the NDRF. Until we get a lead, nothing can be confirmed about her.’

He added, ‘The entire incident dates back to May 23, when the couple went missing. It is unclear how long the body had been there. This will be clarified after the postmortem. The body was found in a ditch nearly 25 kilometres from where their two-wheeler had been parked. Only one body has been recovered so far, and the search for the woman is ongoing.’

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed grief over the tragedy and said that the government was praying for the woman to be found safe.

(ANI)