The body of Ishaque Ali Khan Panna, a notable Awami League leader from Bangladesh, was handed over to a family associate early Saturday morning at Khliehriat Civil Hospital in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district.
According to reports, the transfer was conducted in the presence of officials from the Eastern Jaintia Hills district.
The associate, authorized by the Bangladesh High Commission, completed all necessary formalities before the body was transported to the Dawki-Tamabil Integrated Check Post under tight security measures.
The body will be taken to Panna's hometown in Pirojpur district, Bangladesh, via the Dawki Land Port in West Jaintia Hills.
Earlier, Panna, a former General Secretary of the Bangladesh Chhatra League and a key figure in the Awami League, was found dead on August 26 in a betel nut plantation in Dona Bhoi village, East Jaintia Hills.
His body was identified through a Bangladesh passport. The post-mortem report concluded that Panna was killed by throttling, and investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding his death and the disposal of his body in India.
The Meghalaya government, in coordination with the Bangladesh High Commission in Guwahati, Assam, and under the directives of India's Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs, has facilitated the repatriation process. Several security agencies are involved in the investigation.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Meghalaya's Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, ruled out any high-level or National Investigation Agency (NIA) inquiry into the case. Tynsong stated that the state government is handling the investigation and does not currently see the necessity for a higher-level probe. The Deputy Chief Minister also mentioned that the cause of death would be confirmed after the completion of forensic tests.
The incident has raised concerns and speculations about the circumstances leading to Panna's death. The involvement of the Bangladesh High Commission in the identification process and the coordinated efforts between the Indian and Bangladeshi authorities underscore the diplomatic cooperation in addressing this sensitive issue. The forensic report is awaited to provide more clarity on the events leading to Panna's death.
