Assam Man Who Chopped Off Wife's Head Dies After Jumping From Police Car

A 30-year-old man from Guwahati, who was arrested for allegedly beheading his wife and keeping her severed head in a refrigerator, died after jumping from a moving police vehicle, officials said.

The incident took place in the early hours of Monday as police were escorting Ramanuj Goswami back to Hatigaon Police Station after medical examinations at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

According to Hatigaon Police, Goswami suddenly attacked the police team and jumped from the moving vehicle near the Narakasur Pahar area. He fell into a gorge and suffered serious injuries.

Police rescued him and took him to GMCH, where doctors declared him dead.

Goswami was arrested after allegedly killing his wife, 25-year-old Riya Talukdar, at their Guwahati flat on September 3.

Police said he later claimed that he suspected his wife of cheating on him.

The crime came to light after neighbours complained of a foul smell from the flat. Police subsequently recovered the woman's severed head and fingers from a black polythene bag kept inside the refrigerator, officials said.

Goswami was arrested under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He had surrendered to the police on September 6 and was in seven-day police remand.

During a police visit to the crime scene on September 8, Goswami allegedly showed no remorse over the killing 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.

Police said they recovered a blood-stained machete, suspected to be the weapon used in the killing.

Officials also said Goswami told them he was intoxicated when the crime took place, while empty alcohol bottles were recovered from the flat.

Riya's family had alleged that Goswami had a history of drug addiction, concealed medical issues and a previous arrest in a financial fraud case in 2019. Police had said these allegations were being investigated.