Exhumation in Assam Aims to Solve Missing Teacher Case
Exhumation Efforts in Sribhumi
Officials examine skeletal remains recovered during the exhumation. (Photo)
Sribhumi, Sept 17: In a significant development, authorities have reopened graves in Assam’s Sribhumi district nearly 15 years after three unidentified bodies were interred, as part of an investigation into the disappearance of a school teacher from Tripura.
The exhumation took place on Wednesday following a directive from the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court of West Tripura, aimed at determining if any of the remains belonged to Ashish Shome, a teacher from Agartala who vanished in 2011.
A contingent from the Tripura Police, including Crime Branch officials, collaborated with local law enforcement, health department staff, and district administration to excavate all three graves located at the Sribhumi Town Graveyard.
The operation was overseen by executive magistrate Bikash Chetri, who ensured that the remaining skeletal materials were collected for forensic analysis and DNA testing.
According to Ruhul Amin, an Inspector with the Tripura Crime Branch, Shome was reported missing in May 2011, with suspicions of abduction arising during the investigation. Allegations surfaced that unidentified extremists had demanded a ransom from his family.
Shome’s wife, Shelly Shome, reportedly paid a ransom to an unknown individual in the Baraigram region of Sribhumi, but her husband was not returned.
A missing-person report was filed in West Tripura, leading to the arrest of several suspects as police pursued leads on the alleged kidnapping. Despite these efforts, Shome’s location remained unknown.
The case is currently under review by the West Tripura CJM Court, as noted by Amin.
“The trial is ongoing at the West Tripura CJM Court, and following the court's instructions, the Tripura Police will forward the bones for DNA testing,” he stated.
Investigators decided to exhume all three graves after failing to ascertain which of the unidentified remains might belong to Shome. The DNA samples collected will be compared against those from his family members in Agartala.
Previously, an unidentified body was found in the Sribhumi area and buried in the town graveyard after legal procedures were followed. A DNA test conducted during earlier investigations did not match Shome, leading to a lengthy legal and investigative process.
Officials indicated that three unidentified bodies were buried in the vicinity around that time, prompting the decision to exhume all three for forensic analysis.
For Shelly Shome, this exhumation may finally provide clarity on the fate of her husband, whether he is alive or deceased.
However, the identification of the exhumed remains and any potential connection to Shome will only be confirmed once the DNA test results are available, according to officials.