A family in Jharkhand’s Khunti district was in for a shock when Vishram Munda returned home days after his relatives had conducted his last rites, mistaking another body recovered by police for his. Officials said Munda had travelled to Ramgarh, around 70 km away.
Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Khunti Varun Rajak told PTI on Wednesday that 45-year-old Munda, a native of Patratoli village, had gone missing on May 10 after he left home to attend a wedding.
"His family searched extensively but could not trace him.
A day later, police recovered an unidentified body from a drain.
On getting the information, the relatives reached Khunti Sadar Hospital and identified the body as that of Munda's," the police officer said.
The body's height, build, and face closely resembled Munda's and the family members, as well as the villagers, took the body as that of the missing person, police said.
After completing the legal formalities, the police handed over the body to the family for the last rites and the body was buried as per tribal rituals.
"A few days after the burial, Munda suddenly arrived at his daughter's rented house in Khunti, catching his relatives by surprise.
He told his family members that he had gone to Ramgarh without informing anyone," the police officer said.
Police have now begun the process of exhuming the body to conduct a DNA test to identify the deceased correctly, the police officer added.
(With inputs from PTI)