SHILLONG : The post-mortem examination conducted on the exhumed body of 27-year-old Trophimos Khongmawloh has revealed the presence of injury marks, but doctors have concluded that the injuries were non-fatal and not sufficient to cause death, police said on Monday.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem said investigators are now awaiting histopathological and toxicological examination reports before determining the exact cause of death. According to the SP, the autopsy report received so far is incomplete and the final medical opinion will depend on the findings of the pending forensic examinations, which are expected within the next one to two weeks.
“We have received the post-mortem report, but it is not yet complete.The report indicates that there were injury marks on the body. However, the doctors have stated that these injuries were non-fatal and not sufficient to cause death. We are now awaiting the histopathological and toxicological reports, after which we will be able to determine the exact cause of death,” Syiem told reporters. The police officer also disclosed that forensic experts found sharp objects inside the deceased’s stomach, reportedly linked to claims that he had consumed pieces of glass.
“The injuries sustained are not sufficient to cause death,” he said. The development comes amid an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding Khongmawloh’s death, which sparked public outrage and widespread scrutiny after allegations emerged that he had been assaulted before his death.Khongmawloh’s body was exhumed on May 18, nearly 40 days after he was buried at Pynter village in Pynursla.
An on-the-spot post-mortem examination was subsequently carried out as part of the investigation.The exhumation was conducted under the supervision of an Assistant Commissioner of the Pynursla Civil Sub-Division. Although the process was initially delayed due to heavy rainfall, a forensic team from Shillong later carried out the examination under tight security arrangements. Officials said the procedure was conducted in the presence of a magistrate, the investigating officer and a close relative of the deceased to ensure transparency. The case attracted widespread attention after a 59-second video surfaced on social media allegedly showing Khongmawloh being assaulted inside the Pynter Community Hall on the night of April 7.
Following the circulation of the video, questions were raised about the circumstances leading to his death.In a Zero FIR lodged at Sadar Police Station on May 5, the deceased’s father, Netnobiweit Khongsdoh, alleged that his son was assaulted under the supervision of village Rangbah Shnong Fullmoon Khongsdoh and members of the Village Defence Party (VDP). Thhe complainant further alleged that villagers informed the family that Khongmawloh had died after consuming poisonous insects. However, he claimed that upon seeing his son’s body, he noticed blood on the victim’s head, prompting suspicions regarding the actual cause of death.
The FIR also alleged that members of the VDP transported the body to the family residence on April 8 and proceeded with the burial the following day without allowing family members to pay their final respects. Police said the investigation remains ongoing and stressed that no final conclusion regarding the cause of death can be drawn until the pending forensic reports are received.Investigators are expected to rely on the histopathological and toxicological findings to establish whether any underlying medical condition, toxic substance or other factor contributed to Khongmawloh’s death.
The final forensic opinion is expected to play a crucial role in determining the next course of the investigation.