‘They will kill me, mother’: Woman calls mother in fear, found dead hours later; male friend detained

GUWAHATI: A 26-year-old man has been detained by the police after a 22-year-old sociology student was found dead in a homestay room in Guwahati. The deceased has been identified as Nimisha Thakuria, a sociology student at Gauhati University. Police detained her friend Asif Ali in connection with the incident.

Nimisha was found in an unconscious state in the room where she and Asif were staying at a homestay in Garal, on the outskirts of the city, early on Saturday. Asif reportedly told the police that Nimisha had died by suicide. However, the police have not fully accepted his statement and are investigating whether she was murdered, Guwahati West Deputy Commissioner of Police Bolin Deori said.

Police said no blood stains were found on the woman's body or on the floor of the room. Further details about the cause of death will be known only after the post-mortem report is received.

A family friend has provided police with information that could prove crucial to the investigation. Nimisha had told her family that she was going to a friend's house. According to family friend Gautham Das, Nimisha called her mother around 2 am and, while crying, said, “They will kill me, mother.”

Das also alleged that someone may have snatched Nimisha's phone after the call. Police are investigating the claim. Das said Nimisha's parents later went to the nearby Azara police station and reported the matter. In the meantime, police received information that a woman had been admitted to a health centre in an unconscious state. She was later shifted to Gauhati Medical College, where doctors confirmed her death.

Homestay cook and caretaker Bipul Bailung also told police that he heard a man shouting during the night. According to Bailung, he heard someone repeatedly saying, “Dada, utho, utho” (Brother, wake up).

Bailung said he then called his colleagues and went outside but could not find anyone. When he returned, he heard crying and went towards the room from where the sound was coming. He said he saw the young man holding the woman while she was lying on the floor.

He then informed the homestay owners and called an ambulance. Homestay staff said the two had booked room number 10 and were also using room number 9, which was vacant. They had reportedly stayed at the homestay before as well.

After information emerged that Nimisha was a Hindu and Asif Ali was a Muslim, some organisations staged protests. Protesters also raised allegations of ‘love jihad’. As the protests intensified at the spot, police arrived and cleared the protesters. Police are recording the statements of the homestay owner, staff and caretakers as part of the investigation. Police said the probe is continuing to determine the actual cause of Nimisha's death.