Ramanuj Goswami, the prime accused in the murder of his wife Riya Talukdar in Guwahati, bore no bullet injuries on his body, authorities at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) confirmed on 14 September 2026. The finding directly contradicts early social-media claims that Goswami was killed in police firing, and shifts scrutiny to the circumstances of his death during a late-night custody transfer.

How Goswami Died

Goswami died in the early hours of Monday after allegedly jumping from a police vehicle near Narakasur Hills while being transported from the Hatigaon area to GMCH for a blood test. According to police, the incident occurred at approximately 3 a.m. as the vehicle passed through Kahilipara. Goswami allegedly leapt from the moving vehicle in an attempt to flee custody and sustained fatal injuries in the fall.

He was subsequently rushed to GMCH, where he was declared dead on arrival. Police have maintained that no firearm was discharged and that the fall alone caused his fatal injuries.

What GMCH Said

GMCH Superintendent Dr Debjit Choudhury stated that Goswami was brought to the casualty ward at 3:41 a.m. by police, logged as a road traffic accident victim. 'Today at dawn, at 03:41 a.m., a victim of a road traffic accident, named Ramanuj Goswami, was admitted to the casualty ward of GMCH by the police. He was brought dead,' Choudhury said.

The superintendent added that immediate protocol tests, including an ECG, were carried out, and that the preliminary examination found no bullet wound on the body. He noted the body bore several tattoos whose inscriptions were not clearly legible. The remains were moved to the GMCH morgue for a detailed post-mortem examination, which is expected to establish the precise cause and nature of the injuries.

The Murder That Set Off the Case

Goswami had been arrested in connection with the killing of his 25-year-old wife, Riya Talukdar, whose body was recovered from the couple's residence in Guwahati's Basisthapur area earlier this month. Police alleged that Riya was killed following a domestic argument and that Goswami subsequently severed her head and stored it inside a refrigerator in the apartment.

The case came to light after neighbours detected a foul smell from the locked flat and alerted authorities. Following his surrender, investigators recreated the crime scene and seized the refrigerator, weapons, clothing, and mobile phones for forensic examination.

Goswami's Contradictory Statements in Custody

While in police custody, Goswami made a series of contradictory public statements. He reportedly declared he had 'no regret, no apology' and threatened to kill a man he referred to as his wife's 'sugar daddy' if released from prison. Days later, he reversed course, expressing remorse and urging others not to repeat what he had done.

Fresh Questions Around Custody Transfer

With Goswami's death, the manner in which he allegedly managed to jump from a police vehicle during a routine medical transfer has emerged as a fresh line of inquiry. Police are expected to account for the security protocols — or their absence — during the late-night transport. The post-mortem findings will be critical in either corroborating or complicating the official account of events. Civil liberties observers are also likely to scrutinise whether standard custody procedures were followed.