Guwahati: The mysterious death of 24-year-old forest worker Dashami Duara took a major turn after the Assam Police announced on Tuesday that they had transferred the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
The police posted the update from their verified X handle, stating, “Bokakhat PS Case No. 94/2025 that relates to the death of Dashami Dowarah is transferred to CID Assam for a thorough investigation. — DGP Assam Police.”
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Authorities had assigned Dashami to the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, where they later found her dead inside her allotted quarters at the Kaziranga DFO residential complex, under Bokakhat police station, on August 7.
While the police and forest department initially reported it as suicide, locals and activists rejected that conclusion and demanded a fair, transparent probe.
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The incident sparked statewide protests, with slogans like “Justice for Dashami Duara” and “Stop crime against women” trending across social media. Public anger grew after many accused officials of protecting senior officers while only questioning local villagers.
Several organisations, including the Tai Ahom Students’ Union and Chutia student groups, demanded the suspension of Kaziranga DFO Arun Vignesh and urged investigators to include him in the probe. They argued that without questioning senior officials, investigators would never uncover the full truth.
On social media, activist Abinash Axom alleged foul play and wrote, “It’s not suicide but murder. We cannot ignore the possibility of blackmail and assault by an officer.”
People across the state grew suspicious as officials withheld forensic details. The public continues to ask whether Dashami left a suicide note, what the timeline of her last interactions was, and what the forensic reports reveal—questions that remain unanswered and continue to fuel speculation.
This case has drawn comparisons with earlier high-profile deaths of women in Assam’s government service. The deaths of SI Junmoni Rabha in 2023 and PWD engineer Joshita Das in July 2025 both triggered public outrage, with citizens alleging harassment and cover-ups. In Joshita’s case, the government eventually handed the case to the CBI.
Activists have described the CID takeover as a response to growing public pressure, but remain cautious. Many believe the government must hold senior officials accountable to restore public trust.
As one protester in Bokakhat put it, “The CID must ensure this is not another eyewash. Only then will people believe that justice for Dashami is possible.”