A day after being buried, 72-yr-old woman returns home near Chennai

CHENNAI: The family which carried out the funeral of an elderly woman on Wednesday was shocked to see her return home on Thursday near Chennai.

The 72-year-old woman who was considered run over by a train in Guduvanchery returned home, giving pleasant, but shocking surprise to the family and relatives in Guduvancherry.

Police said the woman's son confirmed that the dead body, of a woman run over by train, was his mother's and the family buried the body on Tuesday. Now, it has turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Chandra (72) of Ambedkar Nagar in Guduvanchery was living with her son Vadivelu. On Tuesday early morning, Chandra informed her son that she is visiting the nearby temple, which was her routine. Since Chandra did not return for a long time, the family searched for her and also informed the police. Meanwhile, the police received an information that an elderly woman died after being hit by an EMU near Guduvanchery. The Tambaram railway police sent the body to the Chromepet GH and Chandra's son Vadivelu, who visited the hospital, confirmed that it was his mother's body.

Later, the body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination and the funeral was conducted on Wednesday. Wall posters were stuck on all the streets in the locality and the body was buried in a burial ground in Guduvancherry . On Thursday, while all the family and relatives were performing special pooja, Chandra reached the house. The family members were shocked and only after that they realised that she was not dead. Police said Chandra has gone to temples in several districts and returned only on Thursday.

Vadivelu who identified the body said, Chandra was wearing the same colour saree so he thought that it was his mother since the face was crushed as it could not be identified. The Tambaram Railway police now have decided to exhume the body out from the burial ground and sent it to the Chromepet GH to identify the deceased. The police have informed the revenue officials and further inquiry is on.