As the Guwahati homestay death case intensifies, the victim’s father alleged that his daughter had been gangraped before being killed. He said that there were marks on his daughter’s body, indicating assault. The 22-year-old student was found dead at a homestay in Garal, on the outskirts of Guwahati. Police have arrested her 26-year-old friend, Asif Ali, in connection with the incident. While Ali claimed that the woman died by suicide, Guwahati West DCP Bolin Deori stated that police suspect murder.
What did the family say?
The victim's family has alleged gang rape and murder, citing physical marks on her body. The victim’s father stated that she had left home around 5 PM on Friday to meet friends. He said that around 10 pm, she informed her mother over the phone that she would be staying at the university hostel with a friend, as it was late.
At 2 AM, she frantically called her mother, crying and saying, "They will kill me, Mom," before the call was abruptly disconnected. The father then claimed that she was tied up with ropes. "The marks on her body tell that she was tortured before she was murdered," he said.
What did the homestay’s caretaker say?
The homestay’s caretaker reported hearing a male voice screaming "Dada, utho, utho" (Brother, get up) during the night, followed by the sound of crying. Staff members later discovered the male friend holding the victim’s body on the floor before alerting authorities.
"I called the owners. They came, called an ambulance, and then they left," NDTV quoted him as saying.
"They had booked Room Number 10, but Room 9 was empty, so they used that room as well." Some staff members said the two had stayed at the homestay before. Police arrived at the spot and appealed to them to clear the road, after which the blockade was lifted.
Since the woman was a Hindu and her boyfriend, who has been arrested, is a Muslim, the death has led to a protest by some organisations alleging "love jihad". As the case intensifies, a conspiracy theory promoted by right-wing Hindu groups claiming that Muslim men trick Hindu women into relationships to convert them.
Investigations Underway
The police said that they did not believe Asif's “version” of the story and that the woman died of suicide. "The inquiry is in the preliminary stage. And we suspect this as a kind of murder," he said, adding, "We haven't found blood on the body or the floor, and our investigation is on.”