Neyyatinkara resident Gopan, a 78-year-old temple priest known as Gopan swami, whose body was exhumed by police in January after complaints arose over the nature of his death, had sustained contusions on his head, face and forehead, according to the autopsy report. Four contusions- of the scalp on the right side of the back of the head behind the right ear, on the right side of the face and adjoining part of the forehead, on the left side of the forehead and on the nose bridge- were spotted. The skull was found intact.

 Forensic department sources said that these injuries happened before his death, and any contusion on the head or back of the head is treated seriously, but in this case, whether these injuries led to his death couldn't be ascertained. The cause of death has been noted as 'reserved pending reports of laboratory investigations'.

Samples of viscera and swabs taken from air passages were sent for chemical analysis. A greyish powdery material collected from the burial vault around the body was also sent for chemical analysis. Tissue bits were sent for histopathological examination, nail clippings were taken from both hands, and a piece of the sternum was collected at the investigating official's request.

Neyyatinkara police said that reports of chemical analysis and histopathology examination are yet to be received. His family had buried Gopan in a tomb, citing his wish to attain 'samadhi'. Posters declaring his 'samadhi' were pasted on compound wall,s following which residents questioned the family on the mysterious circumstances in which Gopan was buried. This prompted the intervention of police and the station house officer filed a request with the Revenue divisional officer to exhume the body for further investigation. An initial attempt at exhumation met with strong protests from the family, who then moved the HC. The court, however, refused to stay the exhumation process.  

The body was exhumed on January 15, 2025, at Aralumoodu and postmortem was done at the burial site and at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram mortuary. The body appeared to be in a cross-legged sitting position in an upright posture atop a dune of sacred ash inside the tomb. All internal organs had decomposed. The report shows that blood-stained fluid was seen in the nostrils.