Kerala - Pathanamthitta   

Doubts over cadaver: man's body exhumed

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, FEB. 15. The body of a man was exhumed at the cemetery of Mar Sleeba Orthodox Church at Thottabhagam near Thiruvalla today following a claim by his family that a cadaver kept on display at an exhibition stall was "somewhat similar'' to that of the deceased.

The coffin was intact and the exhumed body has almost been reduced to the skeleton. The Thiruvalla Revenue Divisional Officer, N. Govindan Namboodiri, who supervised the exhumation, prepared an inquest report after obtaining statements from the family members. Followers of the church and others were present in good numbers.

Kurien, 80, died on June 21, 2004, and was buried the next day.

Mr. Namboodiri told The Hindu that the wife of the deceased, Thankamma Kurien, and his daughters-in-law, Susan Sam and Lillikutty, had "unambiguously stated before him that they have identified the [exhumed] body.'' An office-bearer of the church managing committee, Reji Philip, and a nephew of the deceased, C.T. Varghese, alias Kunjumon, too had said so, he added.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Abdul Rasheed, who is investigating the case, which was registered on the basis of press reports, said the police had collected the skull, fingers and bones from the coffin for chemical examination and superimposition to find out if there was foul play.

Mr. Rasheed said it was decided to exhume the body when the family members repeated their doubts over the cadaver a week ago.

However, he said, the police had received no written complaints, except a private one filed before the First Class Judicial Magistrate's Court in Thiruvalla seeking judicial intervention in the matter.

Mr. Namboodiri said he would submit the inquest report to the court later.

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Doubts over cadaver: man's body exhumed

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