Twisha Sharma's body handed over to family after 2nd autopsy, last rites shortly
Twelve days after Twisha Sharma's death, an AIIMS Delhi team completed a second autopsy in Bhopal amid allegations of dowry harassment, unanswered forensic questions and emotional scenes outside the mortuary before her final journey.
Madhya Pradesh witnessed emotional scenes on Sunday as the mortal remains of former model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma were handed over to her family after a second autopsy conducted by a team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi following a High Court order.
Twisha’s body was taken from AIIMS Bhopal to the Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat for the last rites, 12 days after she was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12.
Family members gathered outside the mortuary as the postmortem formalities were completed. Several relatives were seen crying while doctors and family members remained inside for the body handover process.
“The family has decided that Twisha’s cremation will take place today itself,” her brother Harshit Sharma said earlier in the day.
SECOND AUTOPSY AFTER HIGH COURT ORDER
A four-member team of senior doctors from AIIMS Delhi reached Bhopal on Saturday night and began the second postmortem at AIIMS Bhopal on Sunday morning following a May 22 order of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
Advocate Ankur Pandey, who accompanied the family’s technical team, said the examination began after Twisha’s brother and sister-in-law identified the body.
“The autopsy was completed by 3.40 pm,” he told PTI.
Earlier, a senior AIIMS Bhopal doctor had said the examination would be conducted strictly according to the High Court’s directions.
FAMILY FLAGS CONCERNS OVER FIRST POSTMORTEM
Twisha’s family had urged the medical board to adopt a multidisciplinary forensic, pathological and radiological approach while examining concerns they believe were not adequately addressed during the first postmortem conducted in Bhopal.
On Saturday, Twisha’s father Navnidhi Sharma submitted a detailed representation to the medical board along with a copy of the High Court order.
The family raised concerns about alleged blunt force injuries on Twisha’s left arm and forearm, lack of detailed dissection to determine the depth and age of injuries, and absence of radiological examination of the neck and cervical structures.
They also sought a correlation between the alleged ligature material and injuries found on the neck and requested toxicological evaluation of preserved viscera samples.
The representation further asked doctors to determine whether findings related to the face, eyes and lungs were consistent with hanging, strangulation, suffocation or any other possible cause of death.
FATHER’S APPEAL BEFORE LAST RITES
Ahead of the funeral, Twisha’s father appealed to residents of Bhopal, social workers, women and youth to join the funeral procession.
“Today, we are going to bid farewell to a daughter, a sister, a friend and an innocent life. The daughter who had begun a new phase of life with dreams has left us all untimely,” he said.
“The vacant eyes of parents, shattered dreams and every passing moment spent waiting for justice raise a silent question before society.”
“Please join us, pray for the peace of her soul and stand with the grieving family,” he added.
“Today, when Twisha merges with the five elements, it will not be just one family that mourns, but every heart that believes in the safety, dignity and justice for daughters will feel the pain.”
HUSBAND ON POLICE REMAND
Twisha Sharma’s family has accused her in-laws of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. Her in-laws, however, claimed she suffered from drug addiction.
Police have registered an FIR against her husband Samarth Singh, a lawyer, and her mother-in-law Giribala Singh, a former district judge, on charges of dowry harassment.
Samarth Singh was arrested in Jabalpur on Friday after remaining absconding for 10 days. A Bhopal court on Saturday sent him to seven-day police remand.