A 30-year-old Guwahati man accused of killing his wife and allegedly keeping her severed head in a refrigerator died on Monday after jumping from a moving police vehicle, officials said.
Ramanuj Goswami was being taken back to Hatigaon Police Station after undergoing medical examinations at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) when the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday.
Man jumps from police vehicle
According to Hatigaon Police, Goswami suddenly attacked the police personnel accompanying him before jumping from the vehicle near the Narakasur Pahar area.
He fell into a gorge and sustained serious injuries. Police rescued him and rushed him to GMCH, where doctors declared him dead.
Goswami had been arrested in connection with the killing of his 25-year-old wife, Riya Talukdar, at their Guwahati flat on September 3.
Wife's severed head found in refrigerator
The alleged murder came to light after neighbours complained about a foul smell coming from the flat. Police later recovered Talukdar's severed head and fingers from a black polythene bag kept inside the refrigerator, officials said.
Goswami had surrendered on September 6 and was subsequently placed in seven-day police remand. He was booked under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police said Goswami claimed he suspected his wife of cheating on him.
During a police visit to the crime scene on September 8, he allegedly showed no remorse over the killing. He reportedly said he had no regret or apology and also threatened to kill a man he referred to as his wife's "sugar daddy" if he was released from jail.
Police recover suspected murder weapon
Investigators said they recovered a blood-stained machete believed to have been used in the killing.
Officials also said Goswami told police that he was intoxicated when the crime occurred. Empty alcohol bottles were recovered from the flat.
Talukdar's family had also alleged that Goswami had a history of drug addiction, concealed medical issues and had been arrested in a financial fraud case in 2019. Police said these allegations were under investigation.