Missing Youth’s Body Remained in Mortuary for Days Without Police Identifying Him; DYFI Alleges Negligence

Alappuzha: The body of a 23-year-old man who had gone missing remained unidentified at the mortuary of Arookutty Government Hospital for days, while police allegedly failed to establish his identity. Arjun Krishna of Kodamthuruth Vellakkathara house went missing on the night of September 16. His relatives said they filed a complaint at the Kuthiathode police station on September 21, but alleged that the police did not conduct an investigation.

Arjun’s body had been found at around 4 pm on September 17 after he was hit by a train at the railway crossing near Padmakshi Junction, within the limits of the Pattanakkad police station. Police shifted the body to the mortuary of Arookutty Government Hospital as an unidentified body.

The body had several identifying details, including the key to his vehicle, a tattoo on his hand and his clothing. However, police allegedly failed to share the information or conduct an investigation.

Arjun’s friends had shared posts on social media about his disappearance. An ambulance driver who noticed the posts became suspicious and informed the family. Relatives then reached the hospital and identified Arjun’s body.

The body was later taken to Alappuzha Medical College for postmortem and subsequently cremated. Arjun’s two-wheeler was also found at Thiruvizha in Cherthala.

Arjun is survived by his father Ramakrishnan, mother Priyamvada and brother Ananthu.

DYFI Demands Action Against Police

DYFI alleged that police had failed to conduct any investigation into the disappearance of Arjun Krishna of Kodamthuruth Vellakkathara house. Relatives and local residents had been searching for Arjun, who went missing on the night of September 16, until September 25.

An ambulance driver from Ponnamveli in Pattanakkad identified Arjun through a poster shared on social media and informed his relatives that the youth’s body had been transported in his ambulance.

DYFI alleged that despite the presence of identifying details such as Arjun’s vehicle key, a tattoo on his hand and his clothing, police failed to share the information or conduct an investigation. It termed the alleged failure cruel.

DYFI Aroor block president C S Akhil and secretary V K Suraj said the police had kept Arjun’s body at Arookutty Government Hospital as an unidentified body for nine days. They demanded strict action against the police officers responsible for what they described as inhumane negligence.