Accused in Guwahati Wife Killing Dies During Police Custody Transfer; Circumstances Under Investigation
Assam Police say Ramanuj Goswami jumped from a moving police vehicle near Narakasur Hill while being taken for medical examination early on September 14. He suffered serious injuries and was declared dead at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where officials said there were no bullet wounds.
a police custody transfer investigation following the death of an accused person near Narakasur Hill in Guwahati
Table of Contents (16 sections)
Ramanuj Goswami, the cab driver accused of killing his wife Riya Talukdar Goswami in Guwahati earlier this month, died in the early hours of September 14 after what Assam Police described as an attempted escape from custody.
According to police, Goswami was travelling in a police vehicle near Narakasur Hill while being taken towards Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for a medical examination when he allegedly assaulted an escorting constable and jumped from the moving vehicle. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to GMCH, where doctors declared him dead.
GMCH Superintendent Devajit Choudhury said Goswami was brought dead with head injuries. Hospital officials also said there were no bullet injury marks on his body and that the exact medical cause of death would be established through the post-mortem examination.
Goswami had been in police custody in connection with the death of Riya, who was found at the couple’s residence in the Basisthapur area of Beltola. Police allege that he killed her on September 3 following an argument and later attempted to conceal parts of her remains. He surrendered on September 6 and was arrested as investigators reconstructed the case.
Key Takeaways
Recommended Reading
Related Stories & In-Depth Guides
Curated editorial perspectives matching this topic.
Madhapur police are investigating the suspicious death of a woman from Visakhapatnam who was taken unconscious from a hotel to a private hospital. Her boyfriend allegedly left after doctors declared her dead and remains untraceable.
Delhi Police have arrested three men accused of posing as police personnel and sexually assaulting a minor at Astha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir. One accused was injured during a police interception after allegedly opening fire.
Ramanuj Goswami, accused of killing his wife Riya Talukdar Goswami at their Guwahati home, died in the early hours of September 14 while in police custody.
Police say Goswami attacked an escorting constable and jumped from a moving police vehicle near Narakasur Hill, suffering serious injuries in the fall.
He was taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital and declared brought dead. Hospital officials said no bullet injuries were found; the final cause of death was to be determined through post-mortem examination.
Goswami had surrendered on September 6 and was subsequently arrested over Riya’s killing. His seven-day period of police custody was ending when the incident occurred.
Police had accused him of killing Riya at their Basisthapur residence on September 3 following a domestic dispute. Claims about an alleged extramarital relationship originated from Goswami and police accounts and should not be treated as established facts about the victim.
Goswami’s family raised questions about the circumstances of his death, making independent examination of the custody incident and post-mortem findings important.
Police Say Incident Occurred During Medical Transfer
Deputy Commissioner of Police Tabu Ram Pegu said Goswami had complained of feeling unwell and was being taken for medical examination at around 2 am when the custody incident occurred.
According to the police account, the vehicle initially developed a tyre puncture near the TV tower. Officers replaced the tyre and resumed the journey.
Police allege that Goswami then kicked the constable responsible for guarding him, opened the rear door and jumped from the moving vehicle near the Nursing College on Narakasur Hill.
He is reported to have fallen on the road and then towards the roadside slope, sustaining severe injuries.
The escorting constable was also reported to have suffered injuries during the incident.
The account is the police version of a death that occurred while Goswami remained in state custody. The circumstances therefore require examination through the investigation, physical evidence and post-mortem findings rather than being treated as independently established solely on the basis of the initial police statement.
Hospital Says Goswami Was Brought Dead
Goswami was transported to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital immediately after the incident.
Hospital Superintendent Devajit Choudhury said he had serious head injuries and was brought dead. PTI separately reported that hospital officials had been informed that the case involved a road-traffic-type injury.
The hospital specifically stated that no bullet wounds were observed.
That detail became significant after questions were raised about the circumstances of the death.
The post-mortem examination is expected to provide the formal medical opinion regarding the cause of death and the injuries sustained.
Reports Differ Slightly on the Exact Transfer Sequence
Published accounts contain some differences over whether Goswami was being taken to GMCH for examination or was being transported following an examination when the incident occurred.
The Times of India, The New Indian Express and Assam-based reporting cited police as saying he was being taken from Hatigaon towards GMCH after complaining of illness.
Other reports described the incident as occurring during an escort connected with medical testing.
The broad points are consistent: Goswami remained in police custody, the incident occurred near Narakasur Hill in the early hours of September 14, police say he jumped from the moving vehicle, and he subsequently died from injuries sustained during the episode.
The precise movement of the police team before the fall should be established through official records as the custody-death inquiry proceeds.
He Was Due to Return to Court
Goswami’s seven-day period of police custody was ending around the time of his death.
He had surrendered on September 6 and was arrested in connection with the case before being remanded for police interrogation.
Reports said he was expected to be produced before a court on September 14 following the completion of that custody period.
His death means that the criminal proceedings against him personally cannot proceed in the manner originally anticipated, but the investigation into Riya’s death and the evidence already collected remains significant for establishing the full sequence of events.
Riya Talukdar Was Killed Earlier in September
Police allege that Riya Talukdar Goswami was killed at the couple’s flat in Basisthapur on September 3.
Investigators said the couple had argued before the killing.
Police subsequently recovered Riya’s body and said her head had been concealed separately inside a refrigerator. Given the circumstances, further graphic description is unnecessary.
A sharp weapon suspected of being used in the killing, mobile phones, clothing and other material were collected for forensic examination.
Investigators also recreated the crime scene in the presence of a magistrate and seized the refrigerator as part of the evidence-gathering process.
Goswami Surrendered on September 6
Police say Goswami surrendered on the night of September 6.
He was formally arrested and later remanded in police custody while investigators examined the evidence recovered from the residence.
The couple had married in September 2025, meaning they had been married for less than a year when Riya was killed.
Goswami worked as a cab driver and was originally from Gauripur in Assam’s Dhubri district, while Riya was from Guwahati.
Claims About Riya’s Personal Life Came From the Accused
Police reporting on the original case repeatedly referred to Goswami’s claim that he suspected Riya of having an extramarital relationship.
That point requires careful treatment.
The allegation originated from Goswami’s account and was described by police as one of the issues behind arguments between the couple. It does not independently establish that Riya was involved in an extramarital relationship.
A victim’s alleged personal relationships should not be presented as proven fact or as justification for violence.
The relevant criminal question was whether Goswami was responsible for Riya’s death, while investigators were separately tasked with determining the circumstances leading up to it.
Police Had Collected Forensic Evidence
Before Goswami’s death, investigators had already collected several items for forensic testing.
Police sent clothing allegedly worn by him at the time of the killing and two mobile phones for forensic examination. The suspected weapon and refrigerator were also seized.
Those materials may still help establish the timeline and circumstances surrounding Riya’s death despite the accused’s subsequent death.
Police had also conducted a crime-scene reconstruction before the custody incident occurred.
Custody Death Raises a Separate Investigative Question
Riya’s killing and Goswami’s death in police custody are legally distinct events.
The first concerns the alleged killing of Riya and the evidence police collected against her husband.
The second concerns how an accused person died while under police supervision.
Police say Goswami attempted to escape and sustained fatal injuries after jumping from the vehicle.
Because the death occurred during custody, the circumstances surrounding the escort, security arrangements, injuries and medical response require independent scrutiny based on records and forensic findings.
Authorities said an investigation into the custody incident had been initiated.
Family Raised Doubts About Police Account
Goswami’s family initially questioned the circumstances of his death.
Hindustan Times reported that family members expressed suspicion about the police explanation and initially declined to receive the body.
Those concerns are allegations from the family and do not establish that police caused Goswami’s death.
At the same time, they make the post-mortem evidence and examination of the custody incident particularly important.
GMCH officials said there were no bullet injuries on Goswami’s body, directly addressing one aspect of speculation surrounding the death.
His father later indicated that the family would receive the body and conduct the last rites in Gauripur.
Police Account Must Be Distinguished From Final Findings
The current account of Goswami’s death comes primarily from Assam Police.
Police say he assaulted an escorting constable, jumped from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries in the resulting fall.
Those details can be reported as the official version, but a custody death requires the evidence surrounding that version to be examined before it is treated as a final independent reconstruction.
The post-mortem, vehicle records, statements of accompanying personnel, location evidence and any available surveillance material could help establish the sequence more definitively.
What Happens to the Original Murder Investigation?
Goswami’s death changes the legal course of the case but does not erase the need to establish what happened to Riya.
Investigators had already recovered physical evidence and conducted forensic work before September 14.
The findings can help create a documented account of the killing, including its timing and circumstances.
Because Goswami is dead, there can no longer be a criminal trial against him resulting in conviction or acquittal.
For that reason, reporting should be particularly careful with terminology: he was the accused in Riya’s killing and police said he had made admissions concerning the crime, but no court had convicted him.
What Happens Next
The immediate focus shifts to the medical and official examination of Goswami’s death.
The post-mortem findings are expected to clarify the cause of the fatal injuries.
Investigators will also need to document how Goswami was being transported, the security arrangements inside the vehicle, the reported altercation with the escorting officer and the location where he allegedly jumped.
Separately, forensic examination of evidence collected from the Basisthapur flat can continue to establish the circumstances of Riya’s death.
Both investigations require their own evidentiary record.
Bottom Line
Ramanuj Goswami, accused of killing his wife Riya Talukdar Goswami in Guwahati, died while in Assam Police custody in the early hours of September 14.
Police say he was being transported for medical examination when he attacked an escorting constable and jumped from a moving vehicle near Narakasur Hill. He suffered severe injuries and was taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where he was declared dead.
GMCH officials said there were no bullet injuries and that the medical cause of death would be established through post-mortem examination.
Goswami had surrendered on September 6 after police accused him of killing Riya at their Basisthapur residence on September 3. Police had already collected physical and digital evidence before his death.
His family has raised questions about the custody incident, while police maintain that the fatal injuries resulted from an attempted escape. The official account, family allegations and eventual forensic findings should remain clearly distinguished as authorities examine the circumstances of his death.
Key Takeaway
Ramanuj Goswami died in police custody after allegedly jumping from a moving vehicle near Narakasur Hill.
Hospital officials confirmed no bullet injuries; post-mortem findings are awaited.
He had been accused of killing his wife Riya Talukdar earlier in September.
The custody death and original murder investigation remain separate inquiries.
The Rajatheertha Team publishes news, explainers, guides and updates across India and the world. Our coverage follows Rajatheertha's editorial, verification and corrections standards.
Rahul Jha was tracked through CCTV footage and arrested in Reengus after his wife Geeta and their three daughters were found dead at their Govind Vatika home in Jaipur’s Kardhani area. Police say he admitted to the killings during preliminary questioning, but investigators are still corroborating hi
Three students were killed and another was critically injured after a BMW crashed through the outer barrier of Mumbai’s Coastal Road and plunged nearly 75 feet early Sunday morning. Police said excessive speed is suspected, while the circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation.
Police have arrested Kalyan Bainsla and his cousin Lavnish, who was allegedly inside the car during the September 13 Golf Course Road incident involving biker Shivani Chauhan, alias Sia. Investigators have added an attempt-to-murder charge after examining video evidence, while Sia is seeking action
Police say 30-year-old Bhawani was killed and 32-year-old Asha Ram injured during a September 15 altercation near a liquor shop in northwest Delhi. Two 19-year-olds and a juvenile have since been apprehended, while the surviving victim has been discharged from hospital.
Registrations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s organised and petty organised crime provisions rose 16% in the first five months of 2026, while police separately arrested five people over an e-rickshaw driver’s killing and opened investigations into two unrelated body discoveries in outer Delhi.
One of the men accused by Punjab Police of killing Assistant Sub-Inspector Harjit Singh in Amritsar has died following an exchange of fire with police, while investigators say they are examining an alleged cross-border conspiracy involving a Pakistan-based handler. A second suspect remains at large.
0 Comments