Indore Missing Couple Case update: NDRF continues to hunt for Sonam Raghuvanshi
Indore Missing Couple Case update: NDRF continues to hunt for Sonam Raghuvanshi
Digital Desk: As the search for missing tourist Sonam Raghuvanshi enters its third week, National Disaster Response Force teams are continuing their heightened search efforts on Friday. There is growing evidence that her husband's murder may have been connected to a violent local conflict.
Earlier this week, a specialized NDRF team joined the multi-agency operation in the East Khasi Hills district's Sohra area, collaborating under increasingly difficult circumstances with members of the State Disaster Response Force, Special Operations Teams, and Meghalaya Police.
The hunt has intensified since Monday's grisly finding of Raja Raghuvanshi's body in a canyon 20 miles from Nongriat village, where the couple had spent overnight on May 22. The 29-year-old's body displayed signs of foul play, and the police discovered a bloodstained weapon and personal belongings scattered at the site.
"NDRF will expedite the search even though rescuers are already using drones, mountaineers, and special police forces," said East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem, stressing the need for multi-agency collaboration in the intricate rescue mission.
The pair from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, went missing after descending 3,000 steps down a gorge to see living root bridges.
Raja's brother identified the body using the distinct "Raja" tattoo. The family suspects robbery and murder, triggering an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Police have initiated a murder investigation and assembled a special investigation team. A woman's white shirt, medicine strips, mobile phone fragments, and a smartwatch have all been collected as evidence, and police are hoping that they will provide important clues as to Sonam's location.
The incident has shaken Meghalaya's tourism industry and led local officials to reflect on their actions. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma described the incident as "very unfortunate" and "something which nobody had seen in Meghalaya before," promising comprehensive measures to capture those responsible.
As the NDRF personnel travel treacherous terrain and unexpected weather, Sonam's brother Govind has issued tearful public pleas for increased efforts. "We believe Sonam is alive. We want the government and the chief minister to speed the search," he pleaded, resonating a family's desperate hope in the face of overwhelming odds.
The NDRF-led mission confronts increasing hurdles from both natural factors and the ticking clock as rescuers press deeper into Meghalaya's harsh topography in a race against time to find Sonam Raghuvanshi.
