Meghalaya honeymoon murder accused Sonam Raghuvanshi to feature on Dussehra effigy

Meghalaya’s high-profile honeymoon murder case will find a dramatic mention in Indore this Dussehra. The image of Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of plotting her husband Raja Raghuvanshi’s killing during their trip to the northeast, will be displayed on a special effigy that will be set on fire as part of the festivities.

Raja went missing on May 23 while the couple was in Sohra, also known as Cherrapunji. His mutilated body was recovered from a ravine near a waterfall on June 2. Sonam, along with her alleged boyfriend and others, is under arrest for the crime.

Breaking from tradition, city-based organisation Paurush (People Against Unequal Rules Used to Shelter Harassment) is preparing an 11-headed effigy for the “Surpanakha Dahan.”

“We have always burned Ravana’s ego in the form of an effigy on Dussehra. But this time we decided to burn an 11-headed effigy to symbolize misconduct and lack of values of women with criminal tendencies. It will feature images of women accused of heinous murders of their husbands, children, or in-laws, including Sonam Raghuvanshi,” said Paurush head Ashok Dashora.

The effigy will also include the image of Muskan Rastogi of Meerut, who along with her lover Sahil Shukla is accused of killing her husband, former Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput, and concealing his body in a cement-filled drum.

Raja Raghuvanshi’s elder brother, Vipin, expressed support for the organisers’ decision. “Like the mythological character Surpanakha, Sonam also made a mistake. My entire family will participate in the Surpanakha Dahan ceremony on Dussehra,” he said.