Declared Dead in Meghalaya Mine Blast, Sribhumi Man Walks Home Minutes After His Own Funeral

In an extraordinary turn of events that has left an entire village in disbelief, a man declared dead in a coal mine explosion in Meghalaya returned home three days after his cremation rites were completed. The incident took place in Ratabari in Sribhumi district and has raised serious questions about the identification of bodies after the blast.

Shyambabu Sinha, a resident of Lengtapara village under Ratabari police station, had travelled to Meghalaya about a month ago in search of work. He was employed as a labourer at a coal mine in the Sutunga area at a place known as Thangsou.

On 5 February, a powerful explosion occurred at the mine, reportedly killing and injuring several workers. Since that day, there had been no trace of Shyambabu.

Following the blast, authorities at Khliehriat Civil Hospital in Meghalaya identified one of the bodies kept in the mortuary as that of Shyambabu Sinha. His grieving family travelled to Meghalaya, identified the body and brought it back to their village. The last rites were performed according to religious customs.

The situation took a dramatic turn three days later. While the family was performing rituals linked to the shraddha ceremony for the peace of his soul, Shyambabu walked into the courtyard of his home alive.

Family members and villagers were initially stunned and frightened at the sight of him. Once the shock subsided, the atmosphere quickly turned into one of relief and tears of joy.

A family member said the body had similar identification marks. “The dead body had the same identification mark as him. He and the body both had an infection in a finger and a spot on their stomach. The face was totally unrecognisable, so based on these marks, we identified the body as his (Shyambabu). When we were done with our last rites, he returned half an hour later. We informed the officials immediately. We cremated the body and even did a funeral, thinking it was his body. Everyone from the mandal committee came and saw him,” the family member said.

While the family celebrates his return, a serious question now remains. Who was the person whose body was cremated? Police in Meghalaya and officials from Ratabari police station have begun a joint inquiry to resolve the confusion. Authorities are cross-checking the list of other missing workers from the mine blast to establish the identity of the unidentified deceased person.

Officials have not yet issued a detailed statement on how the misidentification occurred. The incident has, however, highlighted the challenges of identifying victims in cases where bodies are severely damaged. For now, Shyambabu’s unexpected return has brought relief to his family, even as investigators work to uncover the identity of the man who was mistakenly mourned and cremated in his name.