How far is too far for newlyweds?

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav weighed in on the murder of Raja Raghuvanshi, calling the case a "lesson to society" and urging parents to reconsider allowing their children to travel far from home.

“Letting children go so far also needs to be thought about,” Yadav said to ANI while reacting to the murder of 29-year-old Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi, allegedly killed by his wife Sonam and her accomplices during their trip to Meghalaya.

It didn’t take long for social media to do what social media does best...respond.

One X user wrote with sarcasm dripping: “Correct. Honeymoon should be in presence of all family and friends.”

Another imagined a tax regime for couples: “40% GST on honeymoon travel. Sin tax. Refund only after one year of proven marriage.”

Another comment added fuel: “MP se Meghalaya jaane ke liye visa mandatory kar dijiye.”

The chief minister’s full statement, made to ANI, framed the incident as a “lesson to society,” urging families to reflect carefully while arranging marriages. But the bit that stuck and stung was this:

“When children, their families are discussing marriage, it is necessary to take a look at and carefully consider many things. Moreover, going forward, there is also a need to think about letting children go so far away.”

Critics weren’t having it.

One user even bluntly asked X’s Grok AI: “What’s the logical fallacy in this statement?”

The case details...

Raja Raghuvanshi married Sonam on May 11. Four days later, she visited her parental home and police say that’s when she began plotting to have him killed, in coordination with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha and his friends.

Sonam and Raja travelled to Meghalaya for their honeymoon. On May 23, they checked out of a homestay in Nongriat. Ten days later, Raja’s body was found in a gorge, 20 km away. Police say Sonam’s three accomplices — Vishal Singh Chauhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi beat and killed Raja before dumping his body. Sonam surrendered on June 8 in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur.

When this murder gripped headlines across India, Yadav’s comments have shifted the spotlight from a crime to a baffling commentary on how far young people should travel after marriage..

The criticism also hits on other issues... Does this rhetoric subtly shame women for mobility? Does it infantilise adult couples making independent travel choices? And is “letting children go far” really a public safety policy.

While Raja’s mother was initially in disbelief about Sonam’s role, his father has since demanded the death penalty for all involved. Sonam’s mother, meanwhile, insists her daughter is being framed.

The five accused are now in Meghalaya Police custody.