A holiday trip to Meghalaya has ended in tragedy for an Indore couple after the body of Raja Raghuvanshi was found in a deep gorge near the popular Wei Sawdong Falls.

His wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, is still missing for the 11th day. Police have now registered a murder case, and the search for her continues.

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Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh called the case “shocking and unprecedented,” and urged people not to jump to conclusions as the investigation is still going on.

“We are trying our best to find out what really happened. It’s too early to assume anything,” he told reporters.

The couple had come to Meghalaya on May 22 and rented a scooter to travel to Nongriat, home to the famous Double Decker Root Bridge. According to the police, they trekked down more than 3,000 steps and spent the night in the area.

On May 24, their scooter was found abandoned near a cafe on the road from Shillong to Sohra (Cherrapunjee). After family members filed a missing persons report, police and rescue teams started searching for the couple.

The search operation, which began on May 28, involved the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police. They used K9 dogs, drones from the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), and special teams. Raja’s body was finally found using drone technology and was identified through a tattoo.

The police have also recovered what they believe to be the murder weapon, making the case more serious. A homicide investigation is now underway.

Minister Lyngdoh assured that all steps are being taken to find out the truth and bring justice. “The government is fully supporting the investigation,” he said. He also asked people not to let this incident damage the image of Meghalaya as a tourist-friendly state.

“Meghalaya is still a safe place for visitors,” Lyngdoh said. “This is a very rare incident, and we are doing everything we can to handle it properly.”

Local villagers, many of whom helped in the initial search, said they were shocked by the news. “We’ve never had anything like this happen before,” one resident said.

The search for Sonam Raghuvanshi is still ongoing.