A case of mistaken identity led to a dramatic turn of events in Basheerabad mandal of Vikarabad district over the weekend. Pittala Yellappa, 45, returned home to his family that was preparing for his funeral after receiving news of his death from the Vikarabad railway police. It was later revealed that his stolen phone was found near a disfigured body. The police informed his family assuming it to be Yellappa’s body’.
Mr. Yellappa, a daily wage labourer who resides in Basheerabad with his family, including wife and two children, left home on Saturday, explained Shankaraiah, a Sub Inspector from Vikarabad Railway Police. “Branded as an alcoholic by his family, he has a history of often being away either on labour work or being drunk and passed out at labour addas,” said the official.
The railway police found a disfigured body on the tracks of Vikarabad railway station on Saturday. The body was found between platforms one and two, with a smartphone beside it. The railway station is located about 63 km from Basheerabad.
“We checked and called the family from the phone. They said that it was Mr. Yellappa’s and that he had not been home since that morning. The family then travelled to the government hospital to identify the body and also found a similar birthmark on the left hand. The head was mangled beyond recognition,” added the official.
While the family initially raised some doubts over the body being a little healthier than Yellappa’s slim built, it was chalked up as disfigurement due to the accident.
The family was handed over the body after an autopsy and started the funeral and final rites when Mr. Yellappa, who was 24 km away in Tandur on some work. He bumped into an acquaintance who informed him about his own funeral. Startled, he used the man’s phone to call home and inform them that he was alive.
The family heaved a sigh of relief on seeing Mr. Yellappa return home and cancelled the funeral band and the burial ground. “They were still celebrating when our employees went to pick up the body, which is yet to be identified. We have kept it at the government hospital for now,” said an official from the railway police.
The railway police said that this was a very peculiar case of mistaken identity. “According to eyewitnesses, the man was running across the tracks between platforms one and two when he was run over by a train and killed on the spot. We are yet to ascertain as to how he got hold of Yellappa’s phone,” said SI Shankariah.
