‘My boy can't kill': Raja Raghuvanshi murder accused Raj Kushwaha's grandmother dies of heart attack; family says she was in shock

Time of India

19-06-2025

Ramlali, the grandmother of Raj Kushwaha, who is accused of Raja Raghuvanshi's murder, has died in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, due to a heart attack. Family members stated that Ramlali was in deep shock after Raj's arrest in Meghalaya.
INDORE: The grandmother of accused Raj Kushwaha has died in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district following a heart attack.
According to family members, Ramlali had gone into deep shock ever since Raj was arrested for the murder of Indore's Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya.
Family sources say she had stopped eating and remained withdrawn for days. Late Tuesday night, she suffered a heart attack and died.
Ram Lalli, 74, died at her residence in Rampur village of Gazipur, located in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district. Her husband, Darbari Singh, told reporters that she had been deeply distressed since Raj's name emerged as the key conspirator in the case.
"She was constantly defending her grandson, insisting he was innocent and being framed," Singh said, adding that the allegations weighed heavily on her.
Just a week ago, Ram Lalli had spoken to the media in support of her grandson. "Raj never had an affair with anyone. Sonam got her husband killed and is dragging Raj into this," she had said. She had also alleged that powerful people were involved in the case and 'they can do anything.'
Singh recalled Raj as a quiet, responsible young man who had been supporting his family ever since his father died during the Covid pandemic.
The family had moved to Indore around 15 years ago amid financial hardship, with Raj joining them about a decade later along with his mother and two sisters, once their situation stabilised.
Raj, a Class 12 pass-out, worked as an accountant at a furniture sheet manufacturing unit owned by Sonam Raghuvanshi's family in Indore's Govind Nagar Kharcha area.
Police have so far refused to comment on the development, citing that the case is being handled by authorities in another state.
Raja Raghuvanshi had married Sonam on May 11 and the couple left for their honeymoon in Meghalaya on May 20. Just three days later, Raja went missing. His mutilated body was found on June 2 in a gorge near a waterfall in Sohra, East Khasi Hills.
Sonam surrendered to police in Uttar Pradesh's Ghazipur district on June 8. Raj Kushwaha and others accused were picked up from various parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
According to investigators, Sonam allegedly orchestrated her husband's murder, with Raj and three of his childhood friends helping to execute the plan.
'Cried for an hour after funeral': Raj Kushwaha's family claims he's innocent in
Meghalaya murder case
"No, not our boy..." — the words echo through a cramped 200sqft room in Indore's Shankar Nagar, where the family of 21-year-old Raj Kushwaha has shut themselves away in disbelief. Raj was arrested for allegedly conspiring with Sonam Raghuvanshi to murder her husband Raja during their honeymoon in Meghalaya.
Since the arrest, the family has been in a state of shock. Raj's 15-year-old sister reportedly faints every time a police siren passes by. Neighbours have stopped speaking to them. The family is reeling from the accusation that Raj, who worked in billing for Sonam's family business, was not only her lover but also allegedly orchestrated Raja's murder with the help of three childhood friends.
Police said Raj stayed close to both families in the aftermath of the incident, even attending Raja's funeral and supporting Sonam's father.
"He cried for an hour after coming from the funeral," said his mother, 52-year-old Chunni Bai. "He said he'd have died if he had seen Raja's body."
But things changed quickly. Hours after the cremation last Sunday, Raj changed clothes and left, telling his family he was going to co-accused Vishal's house. Then came silence — his phone was switched off. He was later picked up by police from Vishal's home.