"She was Struggling..." Portal Owner Details Painful CCTV Footage of Journalist Suicide

Shubham Agarwal, owner of the Guwahati-based digital news portal Sach The Reality, spoke exclusively to Pratidin Time over phone about the shocking death of journalist Ritumoni Roy, who was found dead inside the office on Monday morning.

Agarwal described Ritumoni as “an exceptionally dedicated employee” and said he had previously honored her as the best employee in the office. “She was very hardworking and always professional. Her marriage was fixed for December 5, and we had even received the invitation,” he said. “It is shocking to learn that she died by suicide at the office itself.”

Agarwal, who is currently in Azerbaijan, added that he was trying to book a flight home after receiving the news but had been unable to do so. “My scheduled return is on November 28. I am doing everything I can to return as soon as possible,” he said.

Agarwal explained that Ritumoni worked at the English and Hindi desk. “I have CCTV access on my phone and was able to view the footage after the incident. The footage shows her entering the office as usual, placing her belongings down. She then placed a plastic chair on a table beside the computer, then attempted to hang herself using a rope-like shawl she had brought. She was seen struggling initially, for quite some time, but ultimately succeeded. It was extremely painful to watch,” he said.

He added that Ritumoni usually worked the morning shift and always kept an office key with her. “I had once asked her if she was under stress. She told me it was nothing serious, just some pressure related to her upcoming wedding and occasional pain from gallbladder stones,” Agarwal recalled.

He further stressed that the office maintained a professional environment. “Everybody in my office knows how I treat everyone. There was no personal relationship, only professional,” he asserted.

Following the incident, Agarwal informed that he has instructed the editor to immediately file an FIR and urged for a thorough police investigation. “This is a tragic loss, and we want the police to examine all aspects of what happened,”  he said.

View this post on Instagram

Also Read: Guwahati Woman Journalist Dies by Suicide Inside Office; Was To Marry In December