In Korba, Chhattisgarh, a family approached the police after a body was found, believing it was their missing son. They identified the body as Hariom Vaishnav, a 27-year-old who had disappeared during a visit to his in-laws’ home four days earlier. The body had an ‘R’ tattoo, and the family recognized his build. The family, convinced it was their son, brought the body home to prepare for the funeral. The family’s preparations were interrupted by an unexpected event: Hariom Vaishnav appeared at their door, alive and well. Initially, the neighbors were frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. The truth, however, led to relief and astonishment. The incident happened in the Visrampur Gevra area under the jurisdiction of the Kusmunda police station. Hariom, who was married, had gone to his in-laws in the Darri area and went missing without a word four days before. His family searched for him, and a missing person report was filed with the Darri police.
On Monday morning, a body was recovered from the Ahiran River in Danganiya, under the jurisdiction of the Bankimogora police station. Hariom’s family was asked to identify the body based on the missing person report. The family identified the body by the physical build and the ‘R’ tattoo on its hand. The body was confirmed to be Hariom. The time spent in the water meant the body was swollen, making it difficult to identify the face. The police, after completing the legal procedures, sent the body for a post-mortem and then released the body to the family for the funeral. At midnight, as the family was preparing for the funeral, Hariom returned home alive. The family was stunned. The police were informed, and the Kusmunda police informed the Bankimogora police, as the body had been found in that jurisdiction. The body was taken to a local hospital mortuary, and the police now face the task of identifying the deceased.