Ramanujan Goswami, the prime accused in the murder of his 25-year-old wife Riya Talukdar Goswami in Guwahati’s Hatigaon area, surrendered at Hatigaon Police Station and was subsequently arrested, police said.
The arrest came after investigators recovered Riya’s body from a flat at Basisthapur Bylane following a complaint from neighbours over a foul smell coming from the residence.
Preliminary investigation indicated that Riya’s head had been severed and allegedly kept inside a refrigerator after being wrapped in a black polythene bag. Investigators also found that her fingers had been cut.
A sharp weapon was recovered from the room, along with several liquor bottles. Bloodstains were found at the scene and household articles appeared to have been scattered inside the flat.
A forensic examination indicated that Riya had been murdered, with the preliminary assessment suggesting that the killing occurred 24 to 48 hours before her body was recovered. Her body was sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Forensic and fingerprint teams examined the apartment and collected evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events. The Criminal Investigation Department was also investigating the case.
Riya and Ramanujan had married around six months ago and were living together in the apartment. Ramanujan, an Uber driver originally from Gauripur, was reportedly living in a house constructed on land that belonged to his father and was later sold to a builder.
Riya, a resident of Noonmati, worked at a boutique in the AC Market area of Fancy Bazar. She had reportedly lost both her parents and had one brother.
Police were questioning Ramanujan to establish the circumstances surrounding the killing. The motive had not yet been established, and investigators were examining the evidence recovered from the apartment.
