Banka: A major case of mistaken identity in Bihar’s Banka district has raised serious questions about police procedures after a man who was presumed dead and buried by his family returned home alive the very next day.
The incident occurred in the Rajoun police station area, where an unidentified body was mistakenly handed over to the wrong family. Believing the deceased to be their missing relative, the family performed the last rites according to Muslim customs and buried the body in a cemetery. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when the man they thought was dead returned home safely on Wednesday.
Following the revelation, authorities were forced to exhume the body from Kurma graveyard in the Dhoriya police station area. Subsequent verification confirmed that the deceased was actually a Hindu man from Bhagalpur district.
Death Following Heat Exposure
According to officials, around 60-year-old Ramkishan Mohli, a resident of Govindpur village under Sanhoula police station limits in Bhagalpur district, had visited his sister’s home in Makduma on Monday.
While returning home, he reportedly collapsed near a shop at Punasia Bazaar in Rajoun due to extreme heat. Local residents attempted to help him, but he had already died by the time assistance arrived.
As no identification documents were found and his identity remained unknown, Rajoun Police took custody of the body and sent it for post-mortem examination in Banka. To identify the deceased, photographs of the body were circulated on social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.
Family Mistakenly Identifies Body
After seeing the photographs, Mujahid Ansari, a resident of Bhagwanpur village in the Dhoriya police station area, arrived at the mortuary on Tuesday and identified the deceased as his father, Sagir Ansari.
Police reportedly accepted the identification without extensive verification and completed the formalities before handing over the body to the family.
The family then took the body to their village and buried it at Kurma graveyard according to Islamic rites.
‘Dead’ Man Returns Home
The case took an unexpected turn on Wednesday when Sagir Ansari, who had been presumed dead, returned home alive and unharmed.
His arrival shocked both family members and villagers, who were left wondering whose body had actually been buried.
According to relatives, Sagir Ansari is mentally challenged and has a history of leaving home without informing family members. This reportedly led the family to mistakenly identify the body based solely on the circulated photograph.
Real Family Comes Forward
Meanwhile, after seeing the same photograph on social media, a man from Govindpur village in Bhagalpur’s Sanhoula area contacted police and claimed that the deceased was his father, Ramkishan Mohli.
The development prompted immediate action from police officials, who launched an inquiry into the matter.
Body Exhumed, Identity Confirmed
Under administrative supervision, the buried body was exhumed from Kurma graveyard and shown to Ramkishan Mohli’s family for identification.
After verification, authorities confirmed that the deceased was indeed Ramkishan Mohli.
The body was subsequently handed over to his relatives, who took it to their native village for cremation according to Hindu customs.
Questions Raised Over Identification Process
The incident has sparked criticism of the police identification process. Local residents have questioned why the body was released solely on the basis of a photograph without further verification.
Many have argued that authorities should have conducted additional checks, including confirmation from multiple family members and verification through other identifying details before handing over the body.
The mix-up caused significant emotional distress to both families. One family unknowingly buried a stranger believing him to be their relative, while the deceased man’s actual family had to undergo the process of exhumation before reclaiming the body.
Rajoun Station House Officer Rajratan acknowledged the error, stating that the situation arose due to a mistake in identifying the deceased. He said the body has now been handed over to the rightful family and that further investigation is underway.
