‘Dead’ man returns home alive after family wrongly identifies body

Saji, who used to be away from home for days in search of odd jobs, was not in touch for the last few months and the family had recently ‘wrongly’ identified the unclaimed body found in Karnataka to be that of his going by a similar scar, police said Friday.

A 49-year-old man presumed dead by his family showed up near Wayanad much to the shock and delight of his kin, a fortnight after they performed his ‘funeral’ mistakingly identifying a decomposed body as that of his.

A 49-year-old man presumed dead by his family showed up near Wayanad much to the shock and delight of his kin, a fortnight after they performed his ‘funeral’ mistakingly identifying a decomposed body as that of his. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Saji, who used to be away from home for days in search of odd jobs, was not in touch for the last few months and the family had recently ‘wrongly’ identified the unclaimed body found in Karnataka to be that of his going by a similar scar, police said Friday.

The body was then brought home and the final rites were performed at a cemetery here on October 16, they said.

However, Saji returned home two days ago and was shocked to learn that he was believed dead and his funeral was held.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Police had been informed and a probe was underway find out the relatives of the man, whose funeral was held in Kerala.