Meghalaya: Decomposed body found in gorge identified as missing Indore tourist

Search and rescue teams have confirmed that a highly decomposed male body recovered on Monday, June 2, belongs to Raja Raghuvanshi, one half of a tourist couple from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, who disappeared while visiting popular trekking destinations in Meghalaya.

The body was found in a deep gorge at the Weisawdong Falls area, discovered through drone surveillance technology deployed by rescue teams. Family members who were summoned to the scene have positively identified the remains as those of Raghuvanshi, while search operations continue for his wife Sonam.

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife Sonam had travelled to Mawlakhiat village in Elaka Mynteng on May 22 aboard a rented scooter, planning to visit the renowned Double Decker Root Bridge in Nongriat. They trekked over 3,000 steps down the gorge to visit the bridges, where they stayed the night, according to police.

On May 24, their scooter was found abandoned at a cafe along the road from Shillong to Sohra, following which the initial search operation was planned with the help of local villagers, the official said. Family members subsequently filed a missing persons report, prompting authorities to launch a comprehensive search operation.

The search mission, which began on May 28, has involved three specialised teams supported by K9 units, drones from the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), and special operations team personnel. Rescue teams are now intensifying efforts to locate Sonam Raghuvanshi, who remains missing.