Guwahati: A man accused in the death of 22-year-old Gauhati University student Nimisha Thakuria at a homestay in Dharapur on outskirts of Guwahati was produced before a court on Monday as police investigated the case as a suspicious death with a possible murder angle.
Ashique Ali, who had reportedly stayed at the homestay with Nimisha, was arrested in connection with the case. Police also detained Mintu Ali, an employee of the homestay where the two had stayed.
According to reports, Mintu allegedly supplied alcohol to Ashique and Nimisha at the homestay. The allegation forms part of the ongoing investigation and could not be independently verified.
The incident occurred on September 26. Following his arrest, Ashique reportedly told investigators that Nimisha had died by suicide after allegedly hanging herself from a fan.
Police, however, are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, including what happened at the homestay before she was taken to hospital.
According to a police official, three men brought Nimisha to the Primary Health Centre at Garal at around 4.30 am. She was subsequently referred to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead.
Police have seized the homestay’s registration book, CCTV footage and Nimisha’s mobile phone as part of the investigation. Her body has also been sent for post-mortem examination.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the investigation would take into account statements made by Nimisha’s parents.
“The girl is from my constituency, but whatever statements are being made on social media, including those by her parents, will be taken into account. The investigation will continue, and I will remain in constant touch so that the inquiry is conducted properly,” Sarma said during a press briefing in Raha on Monday.
Sarma said an inquiry would be conducted into the incident and that police would take appropriate action.
“The girl was not underage; she was an adult. I think we have certain moral values, and if we follow them, society remains well. We have certain customs that we need to follow so that such troubles do not occur in families. An inquiry will be conducted into this particular incident and the police will take appropriate action,” he said.
The investigation is continuing, with police examining evidence collected from the homestay and awaiting the post-mortem findings to establish the circumstances surrounding Nimisha’s death.