Officials rule out foul play in Tripura youth Pranab Das’s death after body recovered from Dzükou Valley following extensive search.
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KOHIMA — Officials have ruled out foul play so far in the death of a 22-year-old man from Tripura whose body was recovered from Dzükou Valley on Friday.
The deceased has been identified as Pranab Das of Srinagar district, Tripura. He reportedly entered Dzükou Valley on January 4 but failed to return.
After information about his disappearance was received on January 13, a joint search operation was launched by Kohima Police, the district administration, disaster management authorities, Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) and tour guides. Despite extensive searches conducted between January 13 and 16, Das could not be traced.
On Friday, his body was discovered lying along a riverside by youths from Jakhama village who had gone to monitor the wildfire situation in the area.
By Friday evening, around 150 personnel, including Kohima Police, SAYO, and volunteers from youth organisations of Khuzama, Viswema, Jakhama, Kigwema and Phesama, were mobilised for retrieval of the body.
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The operation continued through the night, and the body was brought to the vehicle stop point on Saturday morning, where a brief service was held. Members of SAYO and the Viswema Village Council covered the body with Lohe (traditional Angami shawl) as a mark of respect.
The body has been kept at a police station morgue in Kohima. The parents and guardians of the deceased are expected to arrive by Sunday to complete legal formalities.
Officials said the cause of death is yet to be ascertained, as the post-mortem examination will be conducted only after the arrival of the family members from Tripura.
Both official and independent sources indicated that no foul play has been detected so far.
In an update, Kohima Police stated that the case originated from a written complaint lodged on January 6 at South Police Station, regarding the disappearance of Pranab Das, who had arrived in Kohima on January 2 and was last seen staying at a homestay in Lerie colony.
Preliminary enquiries revealed that Das checked into the homestay on January 2 and was last seen leaving the premises in the early hours of January 4. Further verification confirmed that he had booked an entry ticket to Dzükou Valley from the Viswema entry point on the same day.
Statements of the caretaker, taxi driver, family members and other relevant witnesses were recorded. Technical analysis, including CDR, CAF, bank account verification and examination of available CCTV footage from nearby establishments, was also carried out, the police PRO said.
Multiple search and rescue operations, including drone-assisted searches, were conducted in coordination with SAYO, the district administration and the NSDMA, covering difficult and inaccessible terrain. However, the missing person could not be located during earlier operations.
On February 6 at around 4.20 pm, information was received about the presence of a body on the riverbank below the Dzükou Valley helipad. A coordinated team comprising Kohima Police, district administration, SAYO and volunteers from neighbouring villages reached the location in the early hours of February 7 and recovered the body.
An inquest was conducted at the spot in the presence of the district administration and independent witnesses. Personal belongings recovered from the site — including a Dzükou Valley entry slip in the name of Pranab Das, two mobile handsets with mouthpieces, and a brown wallet containing cash and identification documents — confirmed the identity of the deceased.
“Though it is too premature to arrive at any definitive conclusion regarding the cause of death, preliminary observations and available material indicate no sign of foul play at present,” the police PRO said.