A 41-year-old woman from north Assam’s Dhemaji district, who was believed to be dead and whose last rites were performed four years ago, has been found alive in Bangladesh.
The family of Rupali Bailung identified her on seeing a programme on an Assamese TV channel.
The news channel had shared photos and videos of her posted by a Bangladeshi Facebook user, Kishan Bhumij, New Indian Express reported.
Neither her family member nor the police have any idea how did she cross over the international boundary and landed in Bangladesh territory.
Family sources said Rupali went missing in May, 2015 from her Cooperative village in Sissiborgaon area in Dhemaji district, when she had gone out to the venue of a Bihu function near her village.
Rupali’s elder brother Jugal Bailung said although she was mentally-unstable, yet she would always return home whenever she ventured out.
“That day, when she didn’t return, we searched for her at various places and later, filed a missing report with the police. After a few days, the villagers spotted the decomposed body of a woman near a river and we all thought it was that of hers. We brought it home and performed the last rites,” the newspaper quoted Rupali as saying.
Rupali developed the illness after she had passed out Class XII.
Bailung said he had contacted the district administration besides local MLA and MP seeking their help to bring her home.
He said he had no doubt that the woman featuring on the two videos was none other than his sister.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the state government would take all measures in this regard.
“As this involves another country, we will approach the ministry of foreign affairs. The ministry will do the needful,” Sonowal said.
