
Raja-Sonam, Saurabh-Muskan, And More: Cases Of Love, Marriage, Betrayal & Cold-Blooded Murder
Last Updated:
The shocking Meghalaya case comes months after the Meerut merchant navy officer murder case.
The chilling murder of Indore-based Raja Raghuvanshi during his honeymoon trip to Meghalaya has stunned the nation yet again. The arrest of Raja's wife Sonam Raghuvanshi for allegedly killing her husband with the help of her alleged lover and three other hitmen has sparked widespread outrage and highlighted how cases of violent crimes in marriage have been making headlines in India over the past few months, particularly those rooted in suspicions or realities of extramarital affairs.
The Raja-Sonam case, which police claim involved hired killers and a carefully planned trap in the forests of Cherrapunji, is only the latest in a string of brutal spousal murders. Preliminary investigations suggest the crime may have stemmed from a relationship she had with one of the accused, Raj Khushwaha.
Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident. Across India, cases of spouses murdering each other—often triggered by extramarital relationships—are surfacing with alarming frequency. The shocking Meghalaya case comes months after the Meerut merchant navy officer murder case.
Wife Kills Husband
In March 2025, Meerut was rocked by the gruesome murder of Saurabh Rajput, a former Merchant Navy officer whose body was found dismembered and sealed inside a cement-filled drum. Police alleged that Rajput's wife, Muskan Rastogi, along with her alleged lover Sahil Shukla, orchestrated the killing upon Saurabh's return from London on a family visit. Investigators say the pair meticulously planned the murder. Muskan allegedly drugged Saurabh's food, Sahil stabbed him, and they together chopped the body into roughly 15 pieces before concealing it in cement inside a drum. Both Muskan and Sahil have been put in judicial custody, and Meerut police filed a detailed 1,000-page chargesheet stating that the killing was premeditated and driven by infidelity.
Auraiya Murder Case
In March 2025, UP's Auraiya witnessed a chilling case when just 15 days into her marriage, Pragati Yadav allegedly conspired with her alleged long-time lover Anurag (also known as Manoj/Bablu) to murder her husband, 25‑year‑old Dilip Yadav. Pragati, reportedly forced into an arranged marriage despite a four-year relationship with Anurag, used 'shagun" or wedding gift money, some of which she raised from jewelry or the marriage ceremony, to hire a contract killer, Ramji Chaudhary, paying him approximately Rs 2 lakh. On March 19, Dilip was lured to a field under the pretext of work, brutally assaulted, and shot. He succumbed to his injuries on March 21 after being transferred through multiple hospitals. The case was cracked within a week due to CCTV footage tracing the movements of the assailants and the hired killer. Police later revealed that Pragati had told Anurag, 'after marriage we will get rid of Dilip, take his property and enjoy life," pointing to a calculated, premeditated murder.
Rajasthan Murder Case
In April 2025, in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district, a woman and her alleged lover — a bank cashier — were arrested for killing her husband, a government engineer. The victim, Motilal, was a government engineer who worked for RUIDP. His wife Sonia, the accused, and her alleged lover, dumped Motilal's body in a village well to cover their tracks. Both suspects were arrested within 24 hours and investigation into the case is ongoing.
Gandhinagar Murder Case
In December 2024, Gujarat's Gandhinagar district was shaken by the chilling murder of Bhavik Chunara, only four days into his marriage. Police investigations revealed that his wife, Payal, orchestrated his kidnapping and killing after being coerced into the marriage by her family while she was actually in love with her cousin, Kalpesh. Akela, Payal, Kalpesh, and two accomplices were all arrested and charged with murder, abduction, and conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Husband Kills Wife
Purnia Murder case
In June 2025, Purnia (Bihar), police arrested Rakesh Rai, a 36-year-old man accused of strangling his wife, Jyoti Vishwakarma (38), at their home in Prabhat Colony. According to investigators, a heated argument erupted when Jyoti confronted Rakesh about his ongoing affair with a beautician. Intoxicated at the time, Rakesh allegedly assaulted and strangled her in front of their 14-year-old son, Ansh Raj, who later testified about the horrific scene.
Baghpat Murder Case
In May 2025, Prashant Kumar, a 27‑year‑old auto-rickshaw driver, allegedly slit his wife Neha's throat in UP's Baghpat after discovering WhatsApp messages he believed indicated an affair. The couple, who had entered a love marriage five years prior, reportedly had a four-year-old son and had been grappling with rising mistrust. On a day Neha was staying at her mother's rented home, Prashant accessed her WhatsApp account and locked her inside before carrying out the brutal attack around 1 pm. Neighbours heard screams, and a video (now with police) captured Prashant confessing at the scene, where he stood over Neha's body clutching the weapon and later informed his mother-in-law by phone. He was promptly arrested as authorities recovered the knife and charged him under murder provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
top videos
View all
Bengaluru Shocker
In June 2025, a gruesome crime stunned Bengaluru's outskirts when a 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated confrontation over suspicions of an extramarital affair. After the brutal act, the accused calmly rode his scooter to the nearby Suryanagar police station, carrying his wife's severed head in a plastic bag and declaring, 'I have come to surrender." Authorities promptly arrested him and have launched an investigation into the chilling incident.
tags :
crime extramarital affair meghalaya murder
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 09, 2025, 16:59 IST
News india Raja-Sonam, Saurabh-Muskan, And More: Cases Of Love, Marriage, Betrayal & Cold-Blooded Murder

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Mint
17 minutes ago
- Mint
Air India Plane crash: 9 days after tragedy, eight families continue to wait for DNA samples to match
The identities of at least eight victims who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, are yet to be known as the DNA samples have not yet matched. The authorities have asked the families to submit a DNA sample of another relative as the previous ones failed to match. According to the details, DNA samples of 247 victims have been matched, and 232 bodies have been handed over to their families till Saturday, reported PTI. "Unless there is a match, bodies cannot be handed over to the kin," said Rakesh Joshi, medical superintendent, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Doctor Joshi said that since the DNA matching process is highly sensitive and involves legal protocols, it is being conducted with utmost seriousness and speed. "When there is no match for a longer period of time, then you can ask another sample from another relative. If one sibling has given the sample, then a sample of another sibling is sought for matching the DNA with that of the victim," he said. "We generally prefer a sample of father or son/daughter. If not, then we take a sample of another available member," Joshi added. To ease the lengthy process, Forensic Science University, along with associated institutions, local administrative authorities, the state government's health and other departments, and various agencies are working tirelessly. Ahmedabad-based filmmaker Mahesh Jirawala's mortal remains were handed over to his family only after the matching of DNA samples confirmed that he died in the catastrophe. He was reported missing following the June 12 air plane crash. Police said that through the matching of DNA samples it has been confirmed that filmmaker Jirawala has died in the plane crash. He was passing by from the area on his two-wheeler just when the London-bound plane plunged into a hostel complex. On 12 June, the London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad moments after it off from the city airport. In the crash 241 were killed on board and 29 on the ground as the aircraft smashed into a medical complex in Meghaninagar. With some bodies were burnt beyond recognition or damaged otherwise, authorities are carrying out DNA tests to establish the identity of victims of the horrific tragedy. Relatives and friends gave an emotional farewell to Deepak Pathak and Irfan Shaikh, the two crew members of the ill-fated flight, in Maharashtra's Badlapur in Thane district and Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune city, respectively. Deepak Pathak's body was consigned to flames at a crematorium in the presence of thousands of mourners. He had been serving the national carrier for the past 11 years and his identification was confirmed through DNA testing. While, Pimpri Chinchwad-based Shaikh family had received Irfan's remains after a DNA match on Friday. It was brought to Pune and his last rites were held at a graveyard in Nehru Nagar in the presence of family, neighbours, friends, and leaders from across political parties.


Indian Express
19 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Jalna crop relief scam: 21 govt officials suspended over 'misappropriation' of Rs 42 crore meant for farmers who suffered crop loss
In a major crackdown on corruption, the district administration in Jalna has suspended at least 21 officials from the revenue department over alleged siphoning off of funds amounting to Rs 42 crore that was intended as crop loss compensation for affected farmers. The district administration has also announced to expand the scope of inquiry across multiple talukas of Jalna and seven other districts of Marathwada. The scam came to light after complaints of irregularities by some farmers from two tehsil in Jalna — Ambad and Ghansawangi — in the distribution of compensation. A district-level committee was formed in January this year by Jalna Collector Shrikrishna Panchal to probe compensation disbursal in Ambad and Ghansawangi tehsils. The state government had allocated Rs 450 crore since 2022 to Jalna for post-disaster agricultural relief. A portion of it — Rs 79 crore — was flagged as suspicious with allegations of gross discrepancies in beneficiary records and fund allocation in an interim audit report of the committee, Panchal said. 'On closer scrutiny, so far we found Rs 42 crore was misappropriated through fraudulent claims. So far, we have suspended 21 officials, including 17 talathis and five clerical staff. Departmental inquiries have been also initiated against 35 talathis and we have issued showcause notices to five tehsildars,' Panchal told The Indian Express, adding that a report will be submitted to the government for further action against these officials. Of the embezzled amount, Panchal said Rs 7 crore has been recovered so far. He also said an inquiry in other talukas was underway and its report was expected soon. According to senior officials familiar with the investigation, the fraud followed a consistent modus operandi. Compensation was claimed in the names of bogus farmers, often for government-owned or uncultivated land. In several cases, officials exaggerated the size of farm holdings to inflate payouts. Duplicate claims and altered land records were also used to maximise the fraudulent gains. 'This was not a clerical error. It was a systematic misuse of the scheme. In some instances, officials filed claims on land where no crop was ever planted,' said a senior district official. The extent of involvement of officials is also striking. As per the audit report's current findings, at least 10 officials allegedly embezzled between ₹1 crore and ₹1.9 crore each, while several others misappropriated between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 50 lakh. Farmers' groups are now calling for broader accountability, pointing out that gram sevaks and agricultural assistants, who are central to verifying land and crop loss data, have so far not faced disciplinary action. Panchal said all those involved in the scheme, including gram sevaks and krishi sahayyaks, are under scrutiny, and appropriate action will be taken based on the final audit. As the probe continues and audits are extended to the remaining talukas, district officials are working to identify authentic beneficiaries using a combination of land records, satellite imagery, and bank account verification. What began as a local grievance in two tehsils has now widened into what may become one of Maharashtra's most significant post-disaster relief scams in recent years. In a new directive issued by the Divisional Commissioner, Aurangabad, revenue officials across eight districts of Marathwada have been ordered to conduct a five-year retrospective audit of all compensation distributed to farmers under natural calamity relief schemes. The directive mandates verification of whether: Compensation was given to ineligible persons, including non-farmers or those showing crops on government or uncultivable land, individuals received more than one installment of aid irregularly and whether aid was transferred to unintended beneficiaries, or fraudulently credited to wrong accounts. Officials have been asked to use village-level records to verify the authenticity of names and claims. 'A detailed, self-certified report must be submitted within 15 days, identifying irregularities and explaining how government-approved compensation reached unintended recipients,' the order signed by Divisional Commissioner, Aurangabad, dated June 11, stated. Where inquiries are undrway, resident Additional Collectors of respective districts have been appointed as nodal officers to coordinate all follow-up actions and disciplinary measures.


Deccan Herald
31 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Illegal mining: Karnataka Cabinet defers Lokayukta SIT extension
On June 18, Patil wrote a scathing 7-page letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lamenting that the government has not done enough to punish culprits and recover the wealth that was lost to illegal mining, which he said caused a loss of Rs 1.5 lakh crore. He has demanded a new SIT.