National

Meghalaya Police Secures Transit Remand for Suspect Amid Rising Calls for Apology

Published

1 year ago

June 10, 2025

On Tuesday, the Meghalaya police secured a transit remand for four individuals implicated in the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi. This development comes amidst increasing calls for a public apology—not only from grieving families but also from certain media outlets and social media users accused of tarnishing the reputation of the northeastern state.

The police presented Anand Kurmi, the fourth accused who was apprehended in Basahari village, Madhya Pradesh, before an Indore court. The court granted his transit remand until June 16, allowing him to be transferred to Meghalaya Police.

Earlier Monday evening, three other suspects—Raj Kushwaha, Vishal Chauhan, and Akash Rajput—were brought before Chief Judicial Magistrate Shashank Singh in Indore, where they received a seven-day remand.

Indore Crime Branch DCP Rajesh Dandotia confirmed that the Meghalaya Police will take all four individuals into custody based on the transit remand.

Reports indicate that law enforcement recovered a pair of jeans and a shirt allegedly worn by Vishal during the incident, which will be sent for forensic analysis. It has also been revealed that the accused frequently gathered at a local ground in Scheme No. 155 in Indore.

Sources noted that the suspects had acquired new mobile phones and SIM cards. Sonam, Raja’s wife, reportedly traveled to Indore by train from Shillong via Siliguri on May 25, shortly after her husband’s murder. In Indore, she allegedly met her lover, Raj Kushwaha, and stayed in his rented room. A driver later transported her to Varanasi, from where she purportedly continued to Ghazipur. However, the police have yet to substantiate this information. Furthermore, ACP Yadav mentioned that there’s no evidence suggesting Sonam traveled to Indore post-murder.

In the meantime, Meghalaya’s Health Minister and senior BJP leader, Alexander Laloo Hek, commended the state police for resolving the case within a week, asserting that Raja was reportedly murdered as part of a premeditated scheme orchestrated by his wife, Sonam (24), who surrendered after the arrests of the three men from Madhya Pradesh.

“The truth has emerged, and the Meghalaya Police deserve full recognition,” stated Hek. “However, it is essential for Raja’s and Sonam’s families to publicly apologize for casting the state in a negative light. Their claims, along with irresponsible media reports, have harmed the dignity of our people and the reputation of Meghalaya as a serene tourist destination. If they fail to apologize, we might explore legal action for defamation.”

Tourism stakeholders echoed this sentiment, warning that the unfounded allegations against Meghalaya and its residents could jeopardize the hard-earned image of the state as a premier travel location.

Larsing Ming Sawyan, president of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum, expressed: “The last few weeks have been distressing. Wild speculations, particularly from certain national media and social media influencers, have painted Meghalaya as unsafe. Now that it’s clear the crime was perpetrated by outsiders, we expect a genuine apology.”

Alan West Kharkongor of the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum criticized the media narrative that maligns the local community. “Such baseless allegations not only hurt sentiments but also have economic repercussions. We demand accountability from the media and the families involved.”

Banlum Blah, president of the Tour Operators’ Association of Meghalaya, added, “Our brand—Meghalaya as the ‘Scotland of the East’—has suffered a blow. Still, we are hopeful that this clarification will help restore confidence among both domestic and international tourists.”

The Meghalaya Police launched a prompt investigation following Raja’s discovery dead in early June. After intense monitoring and questioning, three men from Madhya Pradesh were detained, and Sonam ultimately surrendered to authorities. Police sources suggest that a potential extramarital affair and financial motives—such as Raja possessing gold jewelry—could have contributed to the murder. Authorities are actively seeking one additional suspect believed to be involved.

With facts now coming to light and the narrative shifting, leaders and tourism advocates from Meghalaya stand united in their call for those who hastily judged to apologize.

“The state is not just geography; it’s about its people and their pride,” asserted Hek. “That must be respected.”

Raja Raghuvanshi and Sonam, both originating from Indore, married on May 11 and arrived in Shillong for their honeymoon on May 20, going missing three days later. Raja’s body was discovered in a deep gorge near a waterfall in the Sohra (Cherrapunji) region on June 2.

On June 9, Sonam was located at a dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, where she was initially detained and later arrested on suspicion of masterminding her husband’s murder.

National

11 Hospitalised After Dead Lizard Found in Birthday Cake

Published

2 days ago

August 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Maharashtra : Eleven people were hospitalised after eating a birthday cake that allegedly contained a dead lizard in Nalasopara, Maharashtra.

The incident took place during a birthday celebration. The affected group included seven children and four women.

According to reports, they complained of sudden stomach and chest pain shortly after eating the cake.

They were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Doctors said that all 11 patients are in stable condition.

The incident has raised serious concerns about food safety and hygiene standards in bakeries.

The case comes amid growing concerns over food safety in Maharashtra. Earlier, a rat was allegedly seen inside an ice cream freezer at a Blinkit store in Thane’s Godrej Hill area in Kalyan.

In another incident, food safety officials suspended the FSSAI licence of a Blinkit-linked facility in Malad West after finding several violations.

The recent incidents have increased calls for stricter checks on food storage, hygiene and safety standards across the state.

National

Dead Russell’s Viper Found on Vande Bharat Express

Published

2 days ago

August 16, 2026

Namma Kudla

Ernakulam: A dead Russell’s viper was found on a passenger seat inside a Vande Bharat Express in Ernakulam, causing panic among passengers.

The incident took place on Friday, August 14, at around 2.30 pm. The train was scheduled to leave Ernakulam Junction for Bengaluru.

The incident came to light before the train began its journey. Vinu Varghese, who works for an insurance company in Ernakulam, had booked a ticket to travel to Coimbatore with his two-year-old child.

When he returned to his seat after visiting the restroom, he noticed the dead snake lying on the seat. He was shocked and immediately informed the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) and railway staff.

The railway staff quickly responded to the situation. With the help of passengers, they removed the dead snake from the coach.

After the snake was removed, the passengers felt relieved. Vinu Varghese later filed an official complaint through the railway portal.

In his complaint, he questioned the safety and cleanliness standards on the train. He said passengers pay a significant amount for travelling on Vande Bharat trains and expected better safety measures.

Varghese said the railway staff later apologised for the incident.

The incident has also raised questions about how a snake entered the passenger compartment. Vande Bharat trains are air-conditioned and have sealed gangways and automatic doors that open only at designated stations.

The incident has raised concerns about pest control and safety protocols on the train. Railway authorities have ordered a detailed investigation into the matter.

This is not the first reported incident involving a snake on a Vande Bharat train. In December 2025, a passenger was allegedly accused of deliberately placing a snake inside the Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express.

National

West Bengal Man Detained in Bengaluru over Alleged Terror Links

Published

3 days ago

August 15, 2026

Namma Kudla

Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have detained a 25-year-old man from West Bengal over his alleged links with a terror group.

The accused has been identified as Asafool Mallik. He is a native of Naopara village in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

Police detained Mallik in the Jigani area after receiving information about his alleged suspicious online activities.

According to the police, Mallik had allegedly established contact with a person identified as Imran Haider through Facebook. Haider, who is from Afghanistan, is suspected to have links with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Police said Mallik allegedly wanted to travel to Afghanistan and join the group. He also allegedly discussed retaliatory attacks against the Pakistan Army and possible attacks in India.

Mallik had reportedly applied for a visa to travel to Afghanistan. However, he later dropped the plan due to financial difficulties and family responsibilities, police said.

Mallik was living near APC Circle in Jigani. He had been working as a security guard at Tata Advanced Limited in the Jigani Industrial Area since December 2025.

Police said they received information about his activities while conducting patrols in the Bommasandra Industrial Area.

During questioning, Mallik allegedly said he was angry over what he believed were attacks on Muslims in Pakistan. He also reportedly expressed anger over Pakistan’s position on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Police further said Mallik was allegedly being encouraged to retaliate if Muslims faced difficulties in India.

Police later examined Mallik’s mobile phone. They allegedly found chats, voice calls and audio conversations between Mallik and Haider.

The police are now examining the chats, recordings and other material recovered from the phone.

The investigation is underway to determine the extent of Mallik’s alleged links with the terror network.