Guwahati: Man Arrested for Alleged Murder of Wife Following Domestic Dispute

PTI, September 7, 2026, Guwahati: A woman's partially decomposed and decapitated body was recovered from a house in Guwahati's Beltola area while the head, wrapped in a plastic bag, was found in a refrigerator, a police officer said on Monday.

The victim's husband, Ramanuj Goswami (30), has been arrested after he surrendered before police and confessed to killing his wife in a fit of rage over her alleged extra-marital affair, he added. The victim, Riya Talukdar (25), used to work in a boutique till recently, while her husband is a cab driver.

"We received information from family members of the couple that they were not able to contact the duo for the past two days. Accordingly, a team from Hatigaon police station went to their flat. The door of the house was open, and the wife's body was found lying on the floor, with the head severed," he said.

The severed head was later found kept inside a polythene bag inside the fridge, he added.

"Goswami, who is the prime suspect, has surrendered and confessed to the crime. He claimed that they had a fight on September 3, which went on till the early hours of the next day. He lost his temper at one point and killed her," the officer said. The 'dao' (machete) purportedly used in the crime has been recovered by police from the house.

Goswami alleged that his wife was having an extra-marital affair, due to which there were frequent fights between them. They had been married for less than a year, with Goswami hailing from Dhubri district while Talukdar was a resident of Guwahati. They lived in a flat constructed on land owned by Goswami's family.

"We are verifying the facts as claimed by the husband. Detailed interrogation is yet to be done. We are examining the circumstances leading to the crime. Further details can be shared after thorough investigation," the officer added. 

(Agencies: During a search of the house, the police found a severed head kept in a plastic bag inside the fridge. Rhea's severed fingers were also found. It is believed that the crime was committed two days ago. Neighbors have also stated that they heard a loud noise and screams from the flat on Saturday night. The deceased Riya was an employee of a boutique in the Fancy Bazaar area. The initial conclusion is that marital disputes led to the murder. The body has been shifted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital for postmortem. The police have recovered the weapon used in the murder.)