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Assam: Last rites of Hindu woman ‘married’ to Muslim stalled, body with police
Police said the Muslim community refused to bury the body due to “lack of proof” of her wedding with Ali and Hindus were against cremating her because she had “married” outside the faith.
Two days after Tulsi Das allegedly hanged herself following a tiff with her “husband”, her body lies at Tinsukia police station in upper Assam over a dispute on how the last rites should be performed.
Das, 23, had eloped four months ago with Bitu Ali, 27, said police. Though they lived together at a rented accommodation in Tinsukia town, there are no records to suggest if they got married or either of them converted to the other’s faith, police added.
Police said the Muslim community refused to bury the body due to “lack of proof” of her wedding with Ali and Hindus were against cremating her because she had “married” outside the faith.
“On Saturday night, the couple, who used to quarrel often, had another tiff. While Bitu Ali left home, the woman locked herself in and committed suicide by hanging,” said Girin Sonowal, in-charge of police station at Margherita. Ali works at a hotel in Margherita.
“On hearing of his wife’s death, Ali went back to Tinsukia and brought her body to Margherita for burial. But he was turned back from two burial grounds on Sunday as he didn’t have any documentary proof of his wedding as per Muslim rituals,” Sonowal added.
Das’s body was taken to her hometown Digboi, nearly 17 km away, in an attempt to cremate her. But locals refused to allow the last rites as per Hindu rituals.
“The body was brought back to Margherita. But since the suicide took place at Tinsukia, which is 50 km away, we sent back the body there on Sunday night,” said Sonowal.
Puna Gogoi, in-charge of Tinsukia police station, said on Monday, “It is a very unfortunate incident. The woman’s family has been contacted. Till a decision is taken, the body will be kept at the police station or shifted to a government hospital morgue.”
