Gurugram's Own 'Dead Man Walking': Man Walks Back Home Days After Being Cremated

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a horrifying turn of events, a man who was believed to be dead, and whose body was cremated by his family in Gurugram, surprisingly returned alive two days later, leaving both his relatives and authorities bewildered. The 47-year-old man, identified as Poojan Prasad, lived with his wife and three sons in Mohammadpur Jharsa, Sector-36 of Gurugram.

How did Poojan go missing?

Poojan, a labour contractor, went missing for several days in late August, prompting his family to file a police complaint on September 1.

Meanwhile, police informed Poojan's son, Sandeep Kumar, about a body they had recovered on August 28 from a neighbouring area - just 1.5 km from Poojan's home.

At the government mortuary, Sandeep observed what he described as“similarities” after police showed him the body.

“He had an injury mark on his right leg. Incidentally, the body also had a shirt and trouser on it of similar appearance. What made me certain was that there was an injury mark on the right leg which was similar to my father's,” he told Hindustan Times.

Also read | Weather update: Red alert issued for Gujarat; check IMD's rainfall prediction for Delhi, Gurugram

Kumar reportedly told police that it was his father and informed his family as well.

Was the body brutally murdered?

An autopsy confirmed that the body had been brutally murdered - the head was severed, and the remains were mutilated by stray animals.

The news plunged the family into shock and grief, with Poojan's wife Laxminiya fainting. On the day of the rites, neighbours and relatives gathered, and Poojan was cremated at Ram Bagh cremation ground on Tuesday.

How did the family discover Poojan was alive?

His sons had performed the last rites and even left for Delhi on Wednesday to immerse the ashes in the Yamuna. But midway through their journey, they received a call.

Their maternal uncle, Rahul Prasad, had seen Poojan alive at a labour chowk in Khandsa. At first, Rahul thought he was“hallucinating.” He stepped out of his autorickshaw and realised it was indeed his brother-in-law. Grabbing him by the wrist, Rahul pulled him into the auto and rushed him home.

When Sandeep and his elder brother Aman returned, they found their father sitting calmly on the bed. They broke down in tears. Laxminiya froze when she saw her husband at the door.“I thought I was hallucinating. I fainted. When I woke up and realised he was alive, I cried all over again,” she was quoted by HT.

Also read | Mumbai Police arrests Ashwin Kumar Supra from Noida over Ganesh Visarjan bomb scare

Neighbours were equally stunned.“It took me several minutes to understand what had happened as I had seen the body being cremated,” said Avanish Sharma, who lives next door.

His wife Laxminiya, accustomed to his drinking and long absences, admitted this ordeal shattered her.“Even though he troubled me, he was my suhaag. I thought I had lost him forever. Seeing him alive is like getting a second life myself,” she said.

What happens to the murder investigation now?

Police, equally shocked, rushed to the family's home. Poojan explained that he had been wandering for days, sleeping at chowks and construction sites, too drunk and indifferent to return home. His story checked out.

This revelation pushed investigators back to square one - a man had indeed been murdered and beheaded. DNA samples preserved during the autopsy will now be tested to establish the victim's identity.

Read | Gurugram boy killed by friends over alleged body shaming, found in school washroom

“It doesn't take time to crack a murder case once the deceased's identity is ascertained. But when identification is delayed, investigations can drag,” said Sandeep Turan, Gurugram police public relations officer.

Gurugram police have since filed a murder case against unknown persons at Sector-37 police station.“As per procedure, the DNA samples of the body were preserved for a matching which will be used to ascertain the identity after police ascertains who the deceased person was. Investigation is going and the case will surely be cracked,” he said.

MENAFN06092025007365015876ID1110024597