A second autopsy was conducted on model Twisha Sharma in Bhopal by an AIIMS Delhi team, as her family seeks answers regarding her death and alleges dowry harassment.
Key Points
- AIIMS Delhi doctors conducted a second postmortem on model Twisha Sharma in Bhopal, following a Madhya Pradesh High Court order.
- Twisha Sharma's family alleges dowry harassment and abetment to suicide against her in-laws.
- The family raised concerns about the initial postmortem, including alleged injuries and lack of detailed examination.
- An FIR has been registered against Twisha's husband and mother-in-law, with the husband arrested and remanded to police custody.
- Twisha Sharma's family appealed to the public to join her funeral procession in Bhopal.
A team of doctors from AIIMS Delhi completed the second postmortem of former model-turned-actor Twisha Sharma in Bhopal on Sunday, a lawyer representing her family said.
Her last rites will be held here in the evening, 12 days after her death, the lawyer said, as Twisha's family appealed to the people of Bhopal, including women and social workers, to join her funeral procession.
Family Seeks Clarity on Initial Postmortem Findings
Her family had requested the medical team to adopt a multidisciplinary forensic, pathological and radiological approach and independently examine concerns they claimed were not adequately addressed during the first post-mortem conducted in Bhopal.
Twisha (33) was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on May 12, with her family accusing her in-laws of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide. Her in-laws, however, claimed she suffered from drug addiction.
Acting on a May 22 order from the Madhya Pradesh High Court, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, constituted a four-member team of senior doctors to conduct a second autopsy.
The medical team arrived here on Saturday night and reached AIIMS Bhopal at around 10 am on Sunday. About an hour or so later, Twisha's second post-mortem began after her brother and his wife identified her, advocate Ankur Pandey, who was with a technical team at the facility, told PTI.
The autopsy was completed by 3.40 pm, he said.
Emotional Appeal From Twisha's Father
Earlier, Twisha's father, Navnidhi Sharma, told PTI that her last rites would be performed at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat in Bhopal at 5 pm.
"Today, we are going to bid farewell to a daughter, a sister, a friend and an innocent life. The daughter who had begun a new phase of life with dreams has left us all untimely. The vacant eyes of parents, shattered dreams and every passing moment spent waiting for justice raise a silent question before society," he said.
Twisha's father appealed to the residents of Bhopal, social workers, mothers, sisters and youth to join her funeral procession.
"Please join us, pray for the peace of her soul and stand with the grieving family," he said.
"Today, when Twisha merges with the five elements, it will not be just one family that mourns, but every heart that believes in the safety, dignity and justice for daughters will feel the pain," he added.
Concerns Raised Regarding Initial Autopsy
Earlier, a senior AIIMS Bhopal doctor, requesting anonymity, had told PTI that the autopsy would be conducted strictly in accordance with the high court's directions.
On Saturday, Twisha's father submitted a detailed representation along with a copy of the high court order to the medical board, raising several concerns regarding the first autopsy.
Among the concerns raised were alleged blunt force injuries on Twisha's left arm and forearm, lack of detailed dissection to determine the depth and age of injuries, and absence of radiological examination of the neck and cervical structures.
The family also sought a correlation between the alleged ligature material and injuries recorded on the neck and requested a toxicological evaluation of preserved viscera samples.
The representation also urged to examine whether findings relating to the face, eyes and lungs were consistent with hanging, strangulation, suffocation or any other possible cause of death.
Police Investigation and Arrest
The police have registered an FIR against Twisha's husband, Samarth Singh, who is a lawyer, and her mother-in-law and former district judge Giribala Singh on charges of harassment for dowry.
Samarth Singh was arrested in Jabalpur on Friday after remaining absconding for 10 days. A Bhopal court on Saturday sent him to a seven-day police remand.
