'What if it was my brother?': Kottayam cop wades into filthy water to retrieve decomposed body, ensures proper burial

When Civil Police Officer (CPO) Pratheesh of Vakathanam police station in Kottayam responded to a call about a body floating in a waterbody on Friday evening, he did not expect to become the one who would retrieve it.

The body, later identified as Amal Thomas (23) of Vakathanam, was in an advanced state of decomposition after remaining in stagnant, weed-filled water for days. Despite the difficult conditions, Pratheesh entered the contaminated water and brought the body ashore. "What if it was my brother or another member of my family? I wouldn't hesitate, right? The greatest respect we can give a dead person is to complete the formalities quickly and ensure a dignified burial," Pratheesh told Onmanorama.

Amal, a BSc Physics graduate preparing to pursue higher studies in Germany, had gone missing on May 27. His mother had filed a missing-person complaint, prompting police to launch searches with the help of a special squad and dog squad. However, no clues emerged until local residents spotted what appeared to be a lungi floating beneath a bridge and alerted police.

According to police sources, assistance was sought from the Fire and Rescue Services. However, concerns were raised about entering the stagnant and highly contaminated water, and it was suggested that a specialised scuba team would be required.

With night approaching and inquest procedures unable to be conducted after dark, Pratheesh volunteered to enter the water after obtaining permission from his superiors. "If the body remained there for another day, decomposition would worsen and make the inquest more difficult. More importantly, he deserved a proper burial without delay," he said.

Wearing a face mask to cope with the overwhelming smell, Pratheesh swam into the water carrying a rope. Securing the decomposed body proved difficult as flesh detached while he attempted to tie it. Eventually, he managed to fasten the rope, allowing officers on the shore to pull the body to safety.

Though an experienced swimmer, Pratheesh said the most challenging part was dealing with the smell and the condition of the body. "It was my first time recovering a dead body from water. At times, pieces of skin and flesh would break away and float around me, even into my eyes. That was the hardest part," he said.

A post-mortem examination was later conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam. Police ruled out foul play and concluded that Amal had likely slipped into the water from the bridge and drowned.

A native of Mullassery, Pratheesh credited years of participating in flood-rescue operations for giving him the confidence to undertake the recovery. His wife, Aparna, is also a Civil Police Officer attached to the Gandhinagar police station in Kottayam. The couple has two children, Adikeshav and Adisheshan.