Shillong, June 5, 2025: Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday strongly condemned the coverage by certain national media outlets regarding the disappearance of an Indore-based couple in Sohra, alleging that their reporting reflects a lack of understanding about the state and an attempt to malign its image and its people.
Addressing the issue during a press briefing, Minister Lyngdoh expressed serious concern over what he termed as “one-sided and misleading” narratives presented by sections of the national media following the tragic death of Raja Raghuvanshi and the continued search for his missing wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi.
“The manner in which the national media has reported this incident exposes their ignorance about Meghalaya. It clearly indicates an intention to damage the reputation of the state and its citizens,” said Lyngdoh. “Such actions must be strongly condemned and are deeply disturbing.”
The Minister emphasized that the state has never witnessed such an incident before and that conclusions should not be drawn before the investigation is complete.
“This unfortunate death is an isolated incident. We still don’t have all the facts, as the investigation is ongoing. I strongly condemn the biased approach adopted by the national media. It reflects their prejudice against the Northeast region and, in particular, against the growing success of Meghalaya as a tourism destination, which they now perceive as a threat,” Lyngdoh added.
He also reassured both the public and potential tourists about the safety and legacy of Sohra as a peaceful travel destination.
“I want to remind the people and the media that tourism in Sohra has flourished peacefully for many decades. There is no history of violent crimes related to tourism in the area. We have had missionaries arriving in Sohra as early as 1841, and today we host the Ramakrishna Mission, one of the largest social and spiritual organizations in the state, with its headquarters in Sohra. This misinformation campaign reflects a clear misunderstanding of the state’s character and is a deliberate misrepresentation against Meghalaya and its people,” he asserted.
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Meanwhile, search operations led by the SDRF, NDRF, and other rescue teams continue in the Sohra region to trace Sonam Raghuvanshi, who remains missing following the discovery of her husband’s body earlier this week.
