One suspect in judicial custody
DIMAPUR, JUNE 5 (MExN): The Khiamniungan Students’ Union (KSU) demanded swift police investigation into the mysterious drowning of one of its members, Pusha Khiamniungan. The KSU, in a press release, on June 5, raised “serious questions” on the circumstances surrounding the demise of the 19 year-old Pusha.
“The Union demands time-bound, transparent and swift investigation into this incident. The Union also appeals the public to cooperate with the investigating authorities to unravel the truth behind his tragic death,” the KSU said.
Pusha was last seen alive on May 24, the day he went out reportedly with a friend. Citing preliminary police inquiry, it said that the deceased was last seen with his friend on the Dhansiri river. It added, “His dead body was later retrieved by the Assam Police on the 26th of May.”
One unnamed suspect arrested in connection to the case is in custody. As per the latest input, the accused, said to be Pusha’s friend, was forwarded to judicial custody pending completion of police inquiry.
The deceased had left his 5th Mile home on May 24, in the afternoon, on his scooty. He did not return. His parents filed a missing report on May 26. It later emerged that Pusha had drowned in the Dhansiri on May 24, as told to the police by his friend. This information was divulged to the police only on June 2, following which the police and State Disaster Response Force personnel launched a search operation downstream of the place where Pusha reportedly drowned.
The drowning was confirmed on June 2 evening via the Assam Police in Karbi Anglong. The Assam Police had recovered an unidentified dead body from the Dhansiri on May 26, which happens to be the designated border between Assam and Nagaland west of Chümoukedima.
The discovery of a dead body in a river, a shared border between two states, was however not communicated to the Dimapur police.
By the time the information reached the Dimapur police, the body was disposed as an unidentified and unclaimed corpse, in Diphu, by the Karbi Anglong police reportedly after the lapse of the waiting period mandated by law. The body was exhumed and brought back after the family confirmed it was the missing Pusha’s.
