Newlywed woman’s severed head found in fridge; husband surrenders

Dubai: A 25-year-old woman was found brutally murdered inside her apartment in Guwahati, with her severed head allegedly packed in a polythene bag and kept inside a refrigerator, police said.

The victim, identified as Riya Talukdar Goswami, had married around six months ago and was living with her husband, Ramanujan Goswami, in a flat in the Basisthapur area of Assam’s largest city.

The killing came to light on Sunday after neighbours, who had not seen the couple for about two days, alerted police to a foul smell coming from the apartment. The couple’s phones had also reportedly been switched off.

According to Indian media, police arrived at the flat and broke open the lock. Inside, officers discovered Riya’s decomposing and mutilated body.

Her head was missing and some of her fingers had allegedly been cut off.

A search of the apartment led investigators to the refrigerator, where they found the woman’s severed head inside a polythene bag, according to police.

Investigators believe the killing may have taken place around 48 hours before the body was discovered.

Police also recovered a weapon from the apartment that is suspected to have been used in the crime, according to NDTV.

Motive unclear

Riya’s body and severed head were sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination as investigators began searching for her husband, who was initially missing from the flat.

Neighbours told police that they had last seen him on Friday.

Ramanujan later surrendered to police on Sunday night and is the prime accused in the case, according to Anurag Sharma, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), Guwahati Police Commissionerate.

Police said he had confessed to the killing, according to ANI.

Investigators are expected to question him in detail and compare his account with forensic and other evidence collected from the apartment.

The motive for the killing remains unclear.

Police have not yet disclosed what may have led to the woman’s death or provided further details about the circumstances surrounding her husband’s surrender.

The investigation is continuing.