A man declared dead and cremated six months ago in Morang District has unexpectedly returned home, prompting authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case. Padam Bahadur Rai, 37, from Kheruwa in Letang Municipality-5, was presumed dead after a road accident and identified by his family as the victim whose body was recovered in June.
The confusion began when a severely injured pedestrian was hit by a motorcycle on June 9 along the Chatara–Pakali road section in Ward No. 4 of Barahakshetra Municipality, Sunsari. The injured individual was taken to Birat Teaching Hospital in Budhiganga, where he died while receiving treatment. The body was later transferred to the mortuary of Koshi Hospital. Since the deceased could not initially be identified, police issued a public notice seeking relatives of the accident victim. Rai’s mother came forward to identify the body as her son's, and following standard procedure, police completed the necessary paperwork and handed the remains over to the family. The family subsequently received compensation under the road accident insurance scheme.
Rai had reportedly left home earlier in the year, between January and February 2026, amid mental health challenges, which reportedly worsened following the separation from his wife. His disappearance had left his family concerned, but they believed he had died based on the identification of the body.
The man’s unexpected return has raised serious questions about the identification procedures and introduced a new challenge for authorities to determine the true identity of the deceased from the June accident. Police officials, along with forensic experts from Koshi Hospital, are reviewing hospital records, photographic evidence, and video footage related to the identification. Authorities have summoned Rai’s family to Koshi Hospital to assist in clarifying these discrepancies.
Superintendent of Police Kabit Katuwal of Morang District Police Office confirmed that police are working to establish the actual identity of the accident victim and plan to recover the insurance compensation paid to Rai’s family. Inspector Sagar Shah of the Area Police Office in Letang noted that police had relied solely on Rai’s mother’s identification of the body at the time. He described the family’s emotional state as mixed, expressing both joy and anxiety following Rai’s return.
Investigations remain ongoing as authorities seek to resolve the case and verify the true circumstances of the death officially reported six months ago.