GUWAHATI | The death of 20-year-old Assam student Himashree Boro in Andhra Pradesh has triggered protests in Guwahati, with her family alleging foul play and raising questions over her final movements, missed train and last communications before her body was recovered.

Students of B Barooah College, where Himashree was previously enrolled, staged a protest outside the college on Thursday, demanding a thorough investigation and accountability from the police and railway authorities. “We are here to seek justice for Himashree. We seek support from the Railway and police to find the perpetrators and punish them,” said Krish Pawe, general secretary of the B Barooah College Students’ Union.

Himashree, a resident of Chapaidong near Bonda in Guwahati, had travelled to Andhra Pradesh on August 13 with a dance group for a two-month event assignment. On October 6, she reportedly boarded the Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express at Visakhapatnam while returning to Assam alone. She was scheduled to appear for an SBI examination.

Her journey, however, ended before she could reach home. Her body was recovered on Wednesday from a jungle near the railway tracks at Tekkali in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district. The circumstances surrounding her death have prompted the family to suspect that she may have been deliberately killed.

“We think it must have been a planned murder. A few men surrounded her. I request the Chief Minister to enquire into how she was killed. She died a very harsh death. She was found lying in a jungle,” Himashree’s mother said, appealing to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for intervention.

The family has also questioned what happened after Himashree became unreachable. Her mother said she had tried calling her after losing contact with her. The phone initially rang but later became unreachable, the family claimed.

According to relatives, Himashree had travelled to Andhra Pradesh as part of a group of eight people, while payments for three events were allegedly still pending from the organisers. Her sister-in-law also raised questions about the dance troupe and its management. She alleged that the group’s manager was from Andhra Pradesh and that dancers from Guwahati had been taken there for performances.

The family said Himashree had also been in contact with a woman identified as Sumitra Devi, who had taken the group to Andhra Pradesh. More questions have emerged over Himashree’s final hours. According to her sister-in-law, she repeatedly messaged family members saying that she was scared and remained in contact with her mother and a friend until around 1.30 am.

“She recorded a video and sent it to us. That was the last communication we had with her,” the sister-in-law said. The family further claimed that Himashree reached a railway station at around 7.30 am but missed her scheduled train after arriving late. She subsequently boarded another train, they said.

Her belongings, including clothes, a bag and documents, were later found when the train reached Guwahati, according to the family. The discovery of those belongings has added to the relatives’ questions about the sequence of events and whether her movements were properly traced after she went missing.

The protesters and family members have urged authorities to establish Himashree’s movements after she left the station, examine her final communications and determine what happened before her body was found. The case has also raised wider concerns among students and families in Assam over the safety of young people travelling outside the state for employment and performance opportunities.

At the time of filing, authorities in Assam and Andhra Pradesh had not issued an official statement detailing the circumstances of Himashree’s death or the status of any investigation.