Honeymoon murder horror: Sonam booked one-way ticket to death, says Raja’s kin; watch and jewellery missing

INDORE: The walls of the Raghuvanshi household in Indore reverberate not just with grief, but with questions screaming out for answers.

The shock of learning that their 'bahu' Sonam has been arrested for murdering her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, on their honeymoon hasn't yet fully sunk in. In a flash of anger, some family members set fire to Sonam's pictures on Monday. In retrospect, there were small signs, say relatives. Raja's mother Uma recalled that it was Sonam who planned the trip, booked the tickets - only one-way - and even insisted that Raja wear expensive watch and jewellery.

Sonam insisted Raja wear jewellery: Mom
Raja once told me Sonam wasn't talking to him much. He felt she wasn't interested in him. I asked her, and she said she was busy with work at the office. I told her Raja is shy and feels bad when someone ignores him, and asked her to talk to him more often. She spoke very sweetly with me. I had no idea what she was hiding," said his mother Uma Raghuvanshi. Police say she plotted the murder with her lover, Raj Kushwaha, who worked in her father's business, as did she.

Raja, a 28-year-old transporter, married Sonam on May 11. Less than 11 days later, he lay hacked to death in a deep gorge in Meghalaya's Sohra area. His family is struggling to comprehend the alleged betrayal that tore their world apart. The watch and jewellery are missing.

"If she was forced into the marriage, she could have simply left my son or eloped, why did she kill him?" she asked repeatedly, her voice heavy with disbelief. "Raja had done nothing wrong. He loved her. We had accepted her with all our heart. She became our daughter-in-law, part of our family... And this is what she did..."

Sonam stayed at the Raghuvanshi home for four days after their wedding before returning to her parental home for a ritual. Since it was the month of 'Jeth', it was decided she would return later.

"There was no plan for a trip," the mother recalled. "Then one day, Raja told me Sonam had booked tickets for Kamakhya Devi temple. He said they were leaving the next day. We didn't suspect anything. Raja shopped for warm clothes and rainwear. She went shopping with him. Everything seemed normal."

But the pilgrimage turned out to be a trap. Raja never came back.

"Before leaving, she made him wear an expensive watch, ring, and chain. I told Raja to avoid wearing jewellery on a trip but I later saw pictures of him at the airport wearing the chain," his mother said. "She wore a diamond ring, a bracelet, and a mangalsutra. We had given her bangles, two gold sets - everything. She left dressed as a newlywed bride from our home four days after the marriage... and was found as a murder accused."

What stings the most is the trust they placed in her.

"We met her through a community social media group," she said. "People who knew her family spoke well. We made all enquiries, followed every custom. Nothing seemed wrong."

The family now insists justice must be swift - and unforgiving.

"If she is found guilty, she and all the accused should be hanged," the mother said, flatly. "Not just her, but anyone involved - no matter how big the gang, no matter who else is part of it. They all must be punished."

"She didn't just kill our son," Uma said. "She's brought shame to all women. What she did has stained every daughter-in-law who wants to build a new life. She had everything - a good home, a loving husband. She saw our house, she knew we accepted her. Why did she do this?"