Kohima, February 7 (MExN): The Kohima Police on Saturday confirmed the recovery of the dead body of a tourist who had been reported missing earlier and said there is no indication of foul play at this stage.
According to an official release from the Kohima Police PRO, the case relates to a written complaint lodged on January 6 regarding the disappearance of Pranab Das (22), a resident of West Tripura district in Tripura.
The South Police Station thereafter registered a case under Section 140(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated an investigation.
As per police records, Das arrived in Kohima on January 2 and checked into a homestay in Lerie Colony, where he was last seen staying.
He left the premises early on January 4, and further verification confirmed that he had booked an entry ticket to Dzükou Valley on the same day from the Viswema entry point.
As part of the investigation, statements of the homestay caretaker, taxi driver, family members and other relevant witnesses were recorded, the Kohima Police stated.
Technical analysis, including call detail records, customer application forms, bank account verification and examination of available CCTV footage from nearby establishments, was also carried out.
Kohima Police, in coordination with the Southern Angami Youth Organization (SAYO), the district administration and the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA), also conducted multiple search and rescue operations in and around Dzukou Valley, including drone-assisted searches in difficult and inaccessible terrain.
However, the missing person could not be traced during the earlier operations, the police added.
On February 6 at around 4:20 pm, police received information about the presence of a body on a riverbank below the Dzukou Valley helipad.
Accordingly, a joint team comprising Kohima Police, the district administration, SAYO and volunteers from neighbouring villages proceeded to the area and recovered the body in the early hours of February 7.
Kohima Police informed that an inquest was conducted at the site in the presence of district administration officials and independent witnesses.
During spot verification, personal belongings including a Dzukou Valley entry slip issued in the name of the deceased, two mobile handsets with mouthpieces, and a brown wallet containing cash and identification documents were recovered, confirming his identity, it added.
Thereafter, the body was evacuated with the assistance of SAYO volunteers and later brought to the police station by ambulance.
Police said the family members have been informed and have requested that no post-mortem examination be conducted until their arrival in Kohima.
The body is currently being kept at the police station morgue pending further legal formalities, it added.
While stating that it is premature to arrive at a definitive conclusion regarding the cause of death, the Kohima Police said that based on preliminary observations at the scene and available materials, there is no indication of foul play at present.
The police further expressed appreciation to SAYO, volunteers from neighbouring villages, the district administration and NSDMA for their support and coordination during the prolonged search and recovery operations, and conveyed condolences to the bereaved family.
