Three years after his mother Rukmini went missing and her skeletal remains were discovered in Betane forest, Santosh Gawade of Khanapur taluk is struggling to secure her skeletal remains for performing her last rites. His efforts have been hampered by police and legal procedures, leaving him in a state of distress.
Rukmini, 50, worked as a maid in her village and neighboring Goa. She went missing on December 29, 2021, amidst strained ties with her husband over finances. A month later, skeletal remains identified as hers through DNA testing were found. Santosh suspects foul play and believes his father may have been involved, citing a fight the day before her disappearance and suspicious bank withdrawals.
Despite multiple appeals to police, including a letter to ADGP Alok Kumar, Santosh was told that the remains are now court property. SP Bhimashankar Guled confirmed that only the court can authorize their release.
Ravindra Saini, an environmentalist assisting Santosh, criticized the situation, calling it “inhuman and brutal” to deny a son closure through his mother’s last rites.
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