A woman from Assam's Dhemaji district who was believed to be dead and whose last rites were also performed four years ago has been found to be alive and is living in Bangladesh.
Identified as Rupali Bailung (41), she was identified by her family when they saw her on a programme aired by an Assamese news channel recently; in which the channel shared photos and two videos of her posted by a Bangladeshi Facebook user Kishan Bhumij.
A mentally challenged lady, Rupali Bailung was reported missing in 2015 from her Cooperative village in Sissiborgaon area Dhemaji district, bordering Arunachal Pradesh. She had ventured out of her house to watch a Bihu function in her area.
However, when she did not return, the family looked forher and filed an FIR at the local police station. A few days later thevillagers found a decomposed body of a lady and it was thought to be that ofRupali Bailung and the family performed her last rites.
"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," reported The New Indian Express quoting Rupali's elder brother Jugal Bailung.
"No doubt, the woman featuring on the two videos is my sister," he added.
He further said that his sister was unmarried and haddeveloped mental illness after her Class XII exams.
It may be mentioned here that Rupali Bailung's family hascontacted the district administration besides local MLA and MP seeking theirhelp to bring her home.
It has been known that Assam Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal had said the state government would take all measures in this regardand said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be approached for doing theneedful.
However, it is not yet known as how a mentally-challengedRupali did reached Bangladesh four years ago.
It may be mentioned here that Rupali still believes thatshe is still in Assam and not Bangladesh
