Assam authorities exhume body of Hindu woman buried by family over cremation costs

The body of a Hindu woman, who was buried by her family due to an apparent lack of means to cremate her, was exhumed by authorities on Friday in Assam’s Darrang district, an official said.
    
The official said the woman, in her sixties and unmarried, had passed away at her residence in Pithakhuwa village in the Sipajhar area.
    
"Instead of cremating the body as per Hindu rituals, her family members had buried her, apparently due to lack of means for cremation. We were informed of the death by the village headman on Wednesday," the official added.

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"We immediately reported it to the district commissioner (DC) and local police, and upon receiving orders from the DC to exhume the body, we dug it out on Friday," the official said.
    
Post-mortem will be conducted at Mangaldai Civil Hospital and the last rites as per Hindu rituals are likely to be performed on Saturday.
    
The official also urged families in need of assistance with last rites to contact local authorities and called for community cooperation during times of bereavement.