Guwahati, Nov 13: A woman’s mysterious death in Guwahati’s Narengi locality has raised suspicions of foul play among local residents.

The woman, a mother to an eight-month-old child, was found dead on Monday, sparking allegations from neighbours that her husband’s family was responsible for her untimely demise.

Narayan Sharma, the woman’s husband, has refuted these claims, stating that his wife had been suffering from an illness over the weekend. “My wife has been unwell since Saturday. We wanted to take her to the hospital, but she refused. We tried to manage her symptoms with home remedies, but her condition worsened, and she passed away on Monday,” Sharma said.

When questioned about allegations of domestic violence, Sharma did not deny previous incidents, saying, “Yes, sometimes, due to conflicts, I do resort to violence, but that doesn’t mean I killed her. These are all rumours, and I have video proof showing that she was indeed suffering from a disease.”

Despite his statements, local residents have voiced strong concerns, alleging that the woman had recently been subjected to violence, including being beaten with an iron rod.

“If such incidents continue, how can women feel safe in this society?” said one local, calling for swift police action. “Today it’s her; tomorrow it could be someone else. We need the police to take appropriate measures,” the local added.

Adding to the controversy, residents claim that the woman’s body was taken for cremation without a postmortem, raising further suspicion over the circumstances of her death.

While the woman’s father has accepted that his daughter’s death was due to illness rather than domestic violence, locals continue to demand a thorough investigation.