After Indore Honeymoon Murder, Now UP Couple Disappears in Sikkim - What’s Happening in the Hills?

Raebareli/Sikkim(The Uttam Hindu): A string of unsettling events has cast a dark cloud over honeymoon trips to India’s eastern states. Following the shocking murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi in Shillong at the hands of his wife Sonam, another newlywed couple from Uttar Pradesh has mysteriously vanished in Sikkim.

Kaushalendra Pratap Singh, 29, and his wife Ankita, 26, from Pratapgarh, set off for their honeymoon in Sikkim on May 24. They kept in touch with their family until May 29, when suddenly, all communication ceased. Thirteen days later, they remain unaccounted for.

According to their family, the couple was on their way back to Gangtok from Chungthang in the Mangan district on May 29 when their tourist vehicle, which was carrying ten passengers and a driver, plunged nearly 1,000 feet into the Teesta River gorge amid heavy rainfall. This tragic accident resulted in one fatality and left two others seriously injured, while eight tourists, including Kaushalendra and Ankita, are still missing.

Search efforts have been hindered by Sikkim’s unpredictable weather. Local police and army teams are tirelessly working on rescue operations, but progress has been slow due to the rain and challenging terrain. Kaushalendra was preparing for civil services in Delhi, while Ankita was employed at Medanta Hospital in Lucknow.

This incident comes on the heels of the high-profile honeymoon murder case in Shillong, raising serious concerns about safety in the region. Families are urging authorities to ramp up search operations and implement better safety measures for tourists in these vulnerable hill areas. This double tragedy underscores the growing risks that tourists face in remote locations, especially during the monsoon season.