Detectives in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam have launched a comprehensive homicide investigation following the suspicious death of a 22-year-old university student at a suburban homestay in Guwahati. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, has sparked widespread public outcry and led to major traffic disruptions along critical transport corridors.
The victim, identified as Nimisha Thakuria, was a postgraduate sociology student at Guwahati University and a resident of the Dharapur neighborhood. Her body was recovered from a local lodging facility known as ‘Rudra’s Kitchen’, situated in the Garal-Dharapur precinct on the outskirts of the city. She had been staying at the property alongside a 26-year-old male companion, identified as Ashik Ali.
Local police immediately detained Mr Ali at the scene. During preliminary questioning, he maintained that Ms Thakuria ended her own life by hanging herself from a ceiling fan. However, senior law enforcement officials have publicly challenged his account. Balin Deuri, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Guwahati West, confirmed that the force is treating the case as a potential murder.
“We are not accepting the suspect’s claim at face value,” DCP Deuri stated. “While officers found no visible bloodstains on the deceased or across the floor of the room, our investigation remains at a preliminary phase. We strongly suspect foul play, and the forthcoming post-mortem examination report will be critical in establishing the precise cause of death.”
Central to the investigation are distressing details surrounding Ms Thakuria’s final phone calls to her family. Gautam Das, a close acquaintance of the family, revealed that the student placed a desperate call to her mother shortly before her death, crying, “They are going to kill me, Mum.” The line abruptly went dead, leading relatives to believe her mobile handset was forcibly seized. Subsequent statements from the victim’s father, Deep Thakuria, added further urgency to the probe; he disclosed that his daughter had telephoned him stating she was being physically assaulted, struck in the chest, and severely injured.
Witness testimony from the establishment’s caretaker, Bipul Bailung, corroborated reports of late-night commotion. Mr Bailung informed investigators that he awoke to the sound of a man shouting frantically, repeatedly calling out, “Dada, wake up, wake up!” Upon entering the room, staff discovered Ms Thakuria lying unconscious on the floor with Mr Ali beside her. Management immediately summoned an ambulance and notified local authorities.
Ms Thakuria was initially transported to a nearby primary health centre before being rushed to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where attending physicians formally pronounced her dead on arrival. Forensic teams have since secured the premises, gathering digital evidence, reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, and analysing mobile call logs.
The tragedy has generated intense public friction across Guwahati. Demonstrators and local activist groups staged rallies alleging ideological motives behind the crime, mounting blockades along National Highway 17. The protest severely disrupted vehicular traffic along the primary arterial route leading to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport. Police authorities have stressed that these allegations remain unverified, maintaining that the primary focus remains anchored in forensic facts and procedural evidence.
