Body Exhumed After 7 Months for Dignified Cremation

Seven months after his death, the body of 62-year-old Sheshrao Mankar was exhumed on Friday, September 4, 2026, allowing his family a dignified cremation. Mankar, a former Nagpur Improvement Trust employee, had been missing since February 5, 2026. Despite his daughters' persistent search and a police complaint, his body remained unidentified at Mayo Hospital's mortuary for 72 hours before being buried as an unclaimed corpse on February 9, 2026.

Investigations revealed that Mankar had hired an auto-rickshaw on February 5, intending to go to Kamgar Colony. However, the driver mistakenly dropped him in Kamgar Nagar, where he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. While Kapil Nagar police initially registered it as an accidental death, Mankar's identity remained unknown. Unaware of his passing, his daughters lodged a missing person report at Lakadganj police station the following day.

Weeks later, a joint effort by Kapil Nagar and Lakadganj police led to the identification of the body through a photograph shown to Mankar's daughters. DNA samples collected from his children were matched with the autopsy samples, confirming his identity. Although his burial had occurred seven months prior, Joint CP Navinchandra Reddy emphasized the right to a customary cremation for the deceased, instructing officers to facilitate the process.

The necessary exhumation order was issued by the tehsildar after the file moved to the collectorate. On September 4, 2026, an executive magistrate oversaw the exhumation at Mokshadham Ghat. Mankar's son and daughters were present as his remains were recovered, a panchnama was conducted, and the body was formally handed over for cremation, fulfilling their final goodbye.