Guwahati: Police suspect that a young woman whose body was found at a homestay in the city’s Dharapur area may have been murdered, West Guwahati Deputy Commissioner of Police Bolin Deori said on Monday.
Deori said the woman had checked into the homestay with a male companion, even though the two allegedly did not provide adequate documents. Police will separately examine whether the property followed mandatory guest-registration procedures and maintained the required records.
“The homestay had allowed them to stay without sufficient documents. They were allowed to stay there. The issue of whether the required records were maintained will be examined separately,” the DCP said.
Preliminary findings indicate that the woman, Nimisha Thakuria, a Gauhati University student, and the man, Asif Ali, argued during the night. At around 2 am, she reportedly telephoned her mother and spoke about the incident. Police later reached the homestay and shifted her to a hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead, as reported by NDTV.
Investigators found injury marks on her body. Asked whether the death was being investigated as a murder, Deori said, “Our investigation so far is pointing in that direction. We are looking at all angles. I cannot disclose much at this stage, but the investigation has progressed considerably.”
Police have taken CCTV recordings from the homestay and nearby locations and are examining them alongside other evidence. The woman’s family has claimed that she told her mother she needed help because of “these people”. Police, however, said the allegation was still being verified.
A case has been registered, and the male companion was produced before a court. Police sought eight days of custody. Other individuals present at the homestay are also being questioned.
Residents have alleged that the man had links with drug dealers. Deori said police were checking the claims but had not found enough evidence to confirm them.
“We have received such allegations from local residents. We are verifying them, but at this stage we do not have sufficient evidence to establish that,” he said.
Woman Rescued From Another Homestay
In a separate incident, police rescued a young woman from Sunflower Homestay in Jalukbari on Sunday night. The woman, a resident of Jorhat, was found after police received information about her condition.
A man identified as Chan Mia of Sipajhar was detained for allegedly bringing her to the homestay. The property’s manager was also taken into custody. Police are investigating the circumstances of the incident.
The owner, Arfat Shah, has allegedly misbehaved with journalists who arrived at the spot.