North Lakhimpur: A young entrepreneur was found dead inside his rented residence in North Lakhimpur on Friday morning, prompting police to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death following complaints from his family and allegations of possible foul play by his friends.
Tanmoy Jyoti Dutta Phukan, owner of the Euphoria Unisex Salon in North Lakhimpur, was found lying on the bedroom floor with a portion of a bedsheet knotted around his neck and the other end reportedly tied to a ventilator grill at his rented residence on Panindra Road.
According to Manash Boiragi, a close friend and manager of Euphoria who shared the accommodation with Tanmoy, the latter’s girlfriend, Payel, woke him up at around 5.15 am on Friday and informed him that something had happened to Tanmoy.
Manash said he rushed to the bedroom and found Tanmoy lying on the floor, with the bedsheet cut into two pieces. He immediately contacted another friend, and together they took Tanmoy to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.
Tanmoy and Manash had been sharing the rented accommodation, which Payel also frequently visited.
According to Manash, Tanmoy had appeared normal and healthy until Thursday night. The three had reportedly cooked and shared dinner at the residence.
“I last spoke to him around 2 am when he came to sleep in my room, leaving his bedroom to his girlfriend. I subsequently went to sleep and was awakened by his girlfriend at around 5:20 am, informing me that something had gone wrong with Tanmoy,” Manash recalled.
It is learnt that Payel allegedly used a kitchen knife to cut down the bedsheet after noticing Tanmoy in a hanging position before waking Manash, who was sleeping in the adjacent room.
The circumstances surrounding the incident have raised questions among Tanmoy’s friends. They reportedly questioned the condition of the kitchen knife, which was said to be blunt after being used to peel potatoes the previous night, as well as the reportedly neat cutting pattern of the bedsheet.
A metal water bottle was also reportedly found flattened near Tanmoy’s body.
In another account, a friend identified as Sanju claimed that Payel had contacted him in the early hours of Friday seeking a ride home.
“She called me at 3:03 am on Friday and asked me to pick her up from Tanmoy’s rented residence and drop her home. I refused because I felt it was inappropriate to do so at that hour,” Sanju said.
Police have registered a case, numbered 358/26, following complaints lodged by Tanmoy’s family. His friends have also reportedly approached North Lakhimpur Police Station, alleging possible foul play and seeking a thorough investigation.
Police have reportedly summoned Payel twice for questioning and recorded statements from several of Tanmoy’s friends and employees.
Confirming the investigation, Lakhimpur Senior Superintendent of Police Gundendra Deka said statements had been recorded from Tanmoy’s girlfriend and friends.
“We have recorded the statements of the victim’s girlfriend and his friends. We are awaiting the post-mortem report. Further investigation into the death will proceed accordingly,” SSP Deka said.
Tanmoy, a native of Bordoloni in Dhemaji district, had been running his unisex salon in North Lakhimpur for the past three years. He was also an actor and Dhol player known in the local community.
His death has prompted expressions of grief and demands for a transparent investigation on social media.
While his friends have raised suspicions of possible foul play, the circumstances leading to Tanmoy’s death remain unclear. Police are awaiting the post-mortem report as the investigation continues.