Arrest of Key Suspect in Anwesha Saikia's Death Raises Questions

Key Arrest in Anwesha Saikia Case

Jorhat, Aug 19: After evading capture for several days, Aryan Goswami, the main suspect in the tragic death of 18-year-old Anwesha Saikia, was apprehended by Jorhat Police in Rangajan, Golaghat, on Tuesday night.

Goswami was reportedly present at a gathering on August 15, where Anwesha became critically ill at Gauri Apartment in Dhaba Bora Chuk and subsequently passed away while being transported to the hospital.

Following his arrest, Goswami was taken to Jorhat Sadar Police Station for questioning regarding the events leading to Anwesha's death.

During the interrogation, he denied any involvement in her death, asserting that Anwesha had taken drugs prior to her collapse. “I did not kill her. I was there to help. She was already on the ground when I arrived. I attempted to revive her with salt, but she was unconscious,” he stated.

According to Goswami, Anwesha had come to his room with her friend Monalisha, indicating she would stay for about half an hour. He claimed he was in another room when he realized she had allegedly overdosed.

“I asked her how much she had taken, but she didn’t respond and fell down. There had been a previous overdose incident, which made me panic,” he explained.

Goswami acknowledged his past drug use but insisted he had quit. He mentioned that he currently resides in Guwahati and works as a cab driver. “I used drugs a year or two ago, but I stopped. Now, I drive a cab in Guwahati,” he added.

The specifics of the drugs involved remain unclear, and authorities are awaiting the results of the victim's autopsy for further insights.

Conflicting Accounts on Drug Use

Monalisha, another suspect and friend of the victim, who was arrested earlier on Tuesday, supported Goswami's assertion that Anwesha had consumed drugs, while denying that she or others present had used any. “We didn’t kill her. She overdosed on drugs. Only she took them. We were there but didn’t partake,” Monalisha stated.

She claimed she accompanied Anwesha without knowledge of the drug use. “She took me to Aryan’s room. I had no idea she was going there to use drugs; otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone. Aryan, Ankit, and Anwesha had planned to use drugs, but she was the first to do so and then fell ill,” she explained.

Another arrested individual, Arpita, denied any drug use, asserting she never admitted to it. “When did I say I take drugs? I did not take any. Let the court and police decide,” she remarked.

Police Investigate Further

On the same day, police also detained Monalisha and Arpita in connection with the case and questioned Goswami’s mother, Jharna Goswami. She informed the police that she had been at her maternal home in Kakoti village for about 15 days due to her mother's illness and confirmed that Aryan was at the flat on the day of the incident.

“I was not at home. I had been at my mother’s place for the last 15 days. He was at home during the incident,” Jharna stated.

She refuted claims that she operated a rehabilitation center from the flat. “I have never been involved in any rehab center, and those rumors are false. The flat is mine. Aryan returned home after being at a rehab center,” she clarified.

Jharna further mentioned that she had cautioned her son against drug use, but he did not heed her warnings. “I had warned him about drugs, but he never listened,” she said.

Investigation Continues

The investigation revolves around the events of the night of August 15 at Gauri Apartment, where Anwesha was reportedly with friends. She fell critically ill during the gathering and was taken to the hospital, where she died en route.

The precise circumstances of her death are still under investigation. Authorities are working to determine whether her death was due to a drug overdose or another cause. The conflicting testimonies from those present and the ongoing police inquiry are expected to play a significant role in uncovering the truth about what transpired that night.