"Why Was I Declared Dead?" Chhattisgarh 'Murder Victim' Asks Cops

In a twist that has shaken Chhattisgarh's criminal justice system, a man, who was officially declared dead, walked alive into a police station, turning a high-profile murder case upside down.

On October 22, police had registered a murder case after a half-burnt body was recovered from the Purnanagar-Turitongri forest. The body was identified as Seemit Khakha (30), a resident of Sitonga village in Jashpur district.

Based on this identification, police had arrested Ramjeet Ram, Virendra Ram, a minor in conflict with the law, and later, accused Sheetal Minj and Jeetu Ram, who were on the run. All were sent to jail. The victim's parents and brother identified the body before an Executive Magistrate, and the accused allegedly confessed before a Judicial Magistrate. A forensic team even recreated the crime scene. On paper, the case appeared watertight.

Then came the shock.

Late Saturday night, Seemit Khakha himself walked into the City Kotwali police station very much alive accompanied by Kalpana Khalkho (Toppo), the Sarpanch of Sitonga Gram Panchayat.

Seemit told police he had gone to Jharkhand for work, separated from his group in Ranchi, and had been working in Sarai Pali village of Giridih district. With no mobile phone, he could not contact his family. Only after returning to Jashpur did he learn that he had been officially declared dead and that his companions were behind bars for his "murder."

Seemit Khakha said, "Five of us had gone to work in Giridih. I was working in the fields there. I didn't have a phone, so I couldn't contact my family. When I returned to Jashpur, I found out I had been declared dead. Why was I declared dead? They should have done a DNA test first. I am alive, so why was I declared dead? My friends are in jail, release them. My children are very young and they haven't eaten properly for three months. Declaring a living person dead, what kind of law is this?"

The revelation sent shockwaves through Sitonga village, where families had already suffered months of stigma and fear.

Sarpanch Kalpana Toppo, said "A partially burnt body was found and identified as Seemit Khakha, after which four people from our village were taken into custody. They are innocent and must be released. When Seemit returned to Jashpur, an auto driver from our village informed us, and we immediately brought him to the police station."

Police officials maintain that all procedures were followed as per law, yet concede the case now stands on uncertain ground.

SDoP Chandrashekhar Parma said, "After the incident, suspects were questioned and they confessed. Statements were recorded before the Magistrate under Section 183. Identification was done before the Executive Magistrate in the presence of family members. Police were not present during these proceedings. Both facts were placed before the court. Now that Seemit Khakha has appeared, the process of temporary release has begun and the case is being re-investigated."

With Seemit alive, the identity of the half-burnt body remains a mystery. A special investigation team led by a gazetted officer has been constituted to identify the actual deceased and re-examine every link in the chain from identification to confession.