Goa: 39-year-old perfumer Monika Ghurde found dead, police probe sexual assault angle

On Thursday morning, victim’s brother Anand repeatedly tried to contact her over the phone, however there was no response. Subsequently, he contacted a foreign resident who stayed in the same flat to check on Monika. “But the neighbour found the entry door open and discovered Monika’s dead body with ONLY her hands and legs bound to the bed” Inspector Rajesh Kumar said.

The investigators said that someone known to the victim had arrived the house as there was no sign of forcible entry. While there were no strangulation marks found on the victims body, her face was red in colour. A senior police official suggested that the victim was probably smothered to death. The investigators speculated that the incident might have taken place on Wednesday or in the wee hours of Thursday, however the exact cause and time of death will be ascertained after the postmortem which is scheduled to take place on Saturday.

A case has been registered at Saligao police station limits, besides the neighbours – the investigators have also questioned the flat security guards for any leads.

Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the Monika was married a Chennai based photographer 58-year old Bharath Ramamrutham in 2004 – under whom earlier she worked as an assistant. The couple moved to Goa in 2011, however due to personal issues the couple decided to separate a year back. But, the couple had not formally divorced but decided to stay separately under mutual consent. The couple did not have any issue,” the officials said. Ramamrutham was at Chennai during the time of the incident, the police added.

In her website and social network profile – Monika described herself and a independent Perfumer and researcher. She was currently involved in collaboration projects in Europe, India and New York on the subject of smell to the forefront of her creations, an introductory to her profile stated.