New Delhi, September 14, 2026

A 30-year-old man accused of murdering and beheading his wife in Guwahati died after allegedly jumping from a moving police vehicle while being taken back to the Hatigaon Police Station on Monday. The incident occurred after his medical examination at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), bringing an unexpected end to the custody of the accused in the gruesome murder case.

According to Hatigaon Police, Ramanuj Goswami suddenly attacked the police personnel escorting him before jumping from the vehicle near the Narakasur Pahar area. He fell into a gorge and sustained critical injuries. Police personnel rescued him and rushed him to GMCH, where doctors declared him dead.

Goswami had been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of his 25-year-old wife, Riya Talukdar, at their Guwahati flat on September 3. The case came to light after neighbours reported a foul smell coming from the residence. Police later recovered Riya’s severed head and fingers from a black polythene bag kept inside the refrigerator. Goswami allegedly told investigators that he suspected his wife of cheating on him.

The accused was booked under Sections 103(1) for murder and 238 for causing disappearance of evidence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He had surrendered on September 6 and was subsequently placed in seven-day police remand. During a police visit to the crime scene on September 8, he allegedly showed no remorse and said he had no regret or apology. He also allegedly threatened to kill a man he referred to as his wife's "sugar daddy" if he was released from jail.

Investigators recovered a blood-stained machete suspected to have been used in the killing. Police also said Goswami claimed he was intoxicated when the crime occurred, while empty alcohol bottles were found inside the flat. Riya’s family had further alleged that he had a history of drug addiction, concealed medical issues and a previous arrest in a financial fraud case in 2019. Police said those allegations were being investigated. His death while in police custody is now expected to bring further scrutiny to the circumstances surrounding the incident.