News Anchor Under Fire for Linking Meghalaya Murder To "Human Sacrifice" at Kamakhya

A national news anchor has ignited a controversy after making derogatory and factually incorrect remarks about the revered Kamakhya Temple in Assam during a live broadcast.

The anchor claimed that human sacrifices are still a daily occurrence at the temple and even linked the death of Raja Raghuvanshi to such alleged rituals.

During a live interview with Raja Raghuvanshi’s sister, the anchor speculated that his death—caused by a stab wound from behind—could be connected to these so-called sacrificial practices at Kamakhya. The anchor further implied that Raja may have fallen victim to these rituals.

It is important to note that this interview was conducted before Sonam Raghuvanshi, the prime accused in the murder case, surrendered to police on June 10. The anchor’s claims are now being criticized as unfounded and speculative.

The comments sparked immediate and intense backlash, especially in Assam and the Northeast. The video of the segment, which was widely circulated on social media, has since been deleted by the media house following public outrage.

Outraged viewers and cultural groups have demanded strict action against the anchor for spreading misinformation and hurting religious sentiments. Taking note of the seriousness of the issue, Raja Raghuvanshi’s family has issued a public apology, stating that the controversial remarks did not reflect their views. They expressed regret for the statements made about Assam, the Kamakhya Temple, and the Northeast, and asked for forgiveness.

The family also noted that the remarks may have stemmed from confusion and a lack of clarity surrounding the circumstances of Raja Raghuvanshi’s death at the time of the interview.

Meanwhile, authorities of the Kamakhya temple have condemned the anchor’s comments and have threatened legal action against the media outlet for disseminating false and defamatory content.

At the time of filing this report, the media house in question, News18, has issued an apology on X. They wrote: "In one of the shows aired yesterday, in the context of Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, CNN News18 anchor referred erroneously to 'human sacrifice' at the holy Kamakhya Temple in Assam. This was a complete error of judgment. We had no intention whatsoever. We apologize profusely to anyone whose religious sentiments are hurt after these comments. Further, we have deleted any reference to such a clip from all our platforms. We deeply regret these comments and apologise profusely for the same."

In one of the shows aired yesterday, in the context of Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, CNN News18 anchor referred erroneously to 'human sacrifice' at the holy Kamakhya Temple in Assam. This was a complete error of judgment. We had no intention whatsoever. We apologize profusely to… pic.twitter.com/qNzabvZ1Af

— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 12, 2025

Also Read: Meghalaya Pays Tribute to Raja Raghuvanshi with Unity and Compassion