Mystery Deepens Over Journalist Ritumoni Roy’s Death; Family Yet to File FIR

A day after the tragic death of young digital journalist Ritumoni Roy, disturbing questions continue to surface over the circumstances that led her to take her own life inside the Christian Basti office in Guwahati where she worked.

Roy, a reporter with the news portal Sach The Reality, ended her life late Sunday night on the third floor of Purvoday Building where the portal operates.

A brief handwritten note was found beside her. In it, she wrote: “This decision is for everyone’s happiness” and “Everyone will be fine without me.” At the bottom of the page, she had added a phone number and the word “Sorry.” The meaning behind the note and whose “happiness” she referred to remain unknown.

Despite the shocking nature of the incident, police confirm that no FIR has been filed yet — neither by the family nor by the news portal. “We cannot initiate major steps without a formal complaint,” a senior officer said.

The Unanswered Mysteries

Colleagues and friends are still trying to comprehend what kind of mental turmoil could have driven a cheerful, ambitious journalist — one who was eagerly preparing for her December 5 wedding — to take such a tragic step.

According to those who knew her, Roy had taken charge of almost all her wedding arrangements and had been happily giving out invitation cards just days before her death.

She often told friends she was counting down the days to the ceremony. Yet, within a matter of hours, something shifted — and the reason remains a painful and unanswered mystery.

On Sunday, Roy completed her usual morning shift, working from 7 AM to 3 PM, before returning to her rented room in Hatigaon. Later, she stepped out again and visited a friend’s home for a wedding dinner.

Her friend recalled to police:

“She ate dinner with us, laughed, talked just like always. Around 10:30 PM she said she was leaving for her room.”

But instead of going home, Roy made her way to her office in Christian Basti area. CCTV footage shows her unlocking the office with her own key and entering the premises around midnight. It was inside that office that she ended her life.

This unexplained time window between 10:30 PM and 12 AM has now become a crucial part of the investigation. Police are trying to trace her movements, identify any calls or interactions during that period, and determine what may have triggered her sudden return to the workplace late at night.

Family’s Silence Raises Questions

Roy belongs to a family based in Kahilipara, but she had been living alone in a rented room in Hatigaon — a detail that has raised fresh questions among relatives and neighbours. Her father acknowledged this while speaking to reporters, saying,

“Ritumoni preferred to stay on her own. She said it was easier for her work schedule.”

Another moment that has intensified speculation surfaced in a video recorded shortly after Ritumoni’s death. In the clip, her elder sister — crying and visibly distraught — is seen confronting their father, repeatedly asking,

“Do you need one lakh rupees? Why do you need that money?”

The father, stunned and unable to offer a clear answer, can be heard responding only with, 

“Why would she take her own life? Her wedding was already scheduled for December 5.”

Post-Mortem Completed, Forensics Awaited

Meanwhile, the city police have seized her mobile phone and other belongings for forensic examination. The post-mortem was conducted at GMCH, and her last rites were performed at the Navagraha crematorium on Monday.

As the city grapples with the unexpected death of a young and promising journalist, several key questions remain unanswered:

• Why was there no communication from the family about her whereabouts on Sunday night?
• Why was she living alone despite having a home in the city?
• What led her to return to her office late at night instead of going home?
• And what triggered her decision just days before her wedding?
• Was her father actually seeking money from her in the days leading up to the tragedy?

The Guwahati city police earlier stated they are exploring all angles but emphasise that substantial progress will require a formal complaint from the family.

Also Read: CCTV Footage Reveals Last Hours of Guwahati Journalist Before Suicide