An inhumane act came in light when in pursuance of tribal customs; inmates of Nichli Aanjani village in Sabarkantha district, Gujarat had kept dead body of a youth from Udaipur for more than a year.

Blaming their relatives in Boojha village in Kotra block of Udaipur for the death of the youth, Nichali Aanjani community men demanded Mautana amount (death money) and even laid attacks under the ‘Chadotra’ custom, robbing Boojha folks of their livestock.

However, after the court’s intervention, Rajasthan police came in action and contacted their Gujarat counterparts which took custody of the mortal remains for FSL and DNA investigation. The body is said to have decomposed and reduced to bones in course of time.

According to the police, in May 2014, Ajmeri, a 36 year-old youth of Nichli Aanjani village had allegedly come to meet his sister in Bhoojha village. He didn’t return home and after a month his mutilated body was found on a hillock that divides the two villages. The body parts were collected and taken to deserted school building where it was hung.

Ajmeri’s relatives suspected their sister’s in-laws family and accused Padia, their brother-in-law behind the murder. They were adamant that unless an ex-gratia settlement was made, the body would not be buried. The officers of both the police stations met and initiated legal proceedings.

“The FSL team has collected evidences and bones would be sent for DNA test to ascertain first whether the body was of a man or woman,”said GK Israni, SHO from Gujarat. A case under section 302 of the IPC has been registered by the deceased’s family against their relatives in Bhoojha village, the officer added.