Actor and Bigg Boss 18 fame Chum Darang has spoken out strongly against the negative stereotyping of Northeastern states in the wake of businessman Raja Raghuvanshi’s murder in Meghalaya. The incident, which shocked many across the country, has unfortunately triggered a wave of backlash and generalisation towards the region—something Chum finds deeply unfair.
Raja Raghuvanshi, an Indore-based businessman, had gone missing along with his wife, Sonam, during their honeymoon trip to Meghalaya. Days later, his body was found, and investigations revealed that Sonam had allegedly orchestrated his murder in collaboration with her boyfriend and three others. The sensational nature of the crime led to widespread criticism online, with some users targeting the local community and the state itself. Several travel bookings to Meghalaya were also reportedly cancelled in response to the incident.
Taking to her Instagram stories, Chum Darang expressed her shock and disappointment. “This Raja Raghuvanshi case had me shook beyond words. I am sure everyone was worried for the ‘wife’ after the news of Raja being found. But never did I think she would be behind all this. Breaks my heart.”
Addressing the growing regional prejudice, she added, “Also, I saw a lot of people were blaming the locals, the state, the region, to find out what? I am not saying NE states mein crime hota nehi hai, but sidha logon pe ungli uthana acchi baat nehi hai (I’m not saying crimes don’t happen in Northeast states, but it’s wrong to directly point fingers at the people). My condolences.”
So far, five individuals have been arrested in the case, including Sonam Raghuvanshi and her alleged accomplices—Raj Kushwaha, Akash Rajput, Vishal Singh Chauhan, and Anand Kurmi.
Chum’s statement serves as a powerful reminder against regional bias and highlights the importance of not generalising an entire community for the actions of a few individuals.