DISPUR, 6 Jul: The family of Dr Debanjib Kumar Sharmah, missing since 31 May, has expressed serious concerns over the ongoing investigation’s rationale, pace, and transparency.
The family is questioning why the police are now seeking a DNA sample from Dr Sharmah’s wife. They highlighted that when they travelled all the way from Guwahati to Tezu on 28 June for DNA collection, there was no mention of taking a sample from the wife.
While doctors could not draw blood from Dr Sharmah’s mother then due to health reasons, the family has now asked why alternative methods -such as a cheek swab, hair, nails, or saliva sample -cannot be used to collect her DNA either at home in Dispur or in a Guwahati lab.
They emphasized that a mother’s DNA is scientifically more conclusive for identification than a spouse’s.
“The rationale of collecting a sample from the wife simply does not make sense even to almost all our family members, many of whom are doctors,” a family member remarked.
The family is troubled that the police have indicated that DNA test could take up to two months in Dr Sharmah’s case. They pointed out that during the recent Air India plane crash, DNA testing and victim identification were completed in just two weeks, despite the tragedy involving multiple fatalities and complex recovery efforts.
“Is my son’s life less important? When we’ve seen DNA results in the Air India crash so quickly, why should we wait so long for answers? We only ask for the same urgency and fairness,” Pranati Sharmah, mother of Dr Sharmah, stated.
However, the family emphasized that while they are questioning the delays, they do not want closure for the sake of closure. They stressed that any conclusion must be based on complete facts, “not half-baked inf-ormation.”
The family remains deeply troubled by the broader investigation timeline. Skeletal remains believed to be linked to Dr Sharmah were discovered 20 days after his disappearance, despite being only 20 kilometres from his last known location.
A family friend noted: “It’s hard to understand why it took so long to find remains so close by. This delay raises doubts about how thorough the initial search was.”
The family fears that the skeletal condition of the remains may hinder any investigation into possible foul play. Without flesh or soft tissue, a proper postmortem examination is impossible, which they said could leave them knowing only half the truth, even if DNA testing confirms the identity.
The family insisted on transparency. It has urged that DNA testing be conducted in credible, accredited laboratories, with reports shared directly with them, to ensure the investigation’s integrity and prevent any hasty closure of the case.
“We want the truth about my son, handled with urgency and scientific fairness. Every life deserves the same respect and priority. We do not want closure for the sake of closure – we want complete answers, not half-baked facts,” the doctor’s mother added.
The family appealed to the authorities to ensure that Dr Sharmah’s case receives the same urgency and diligence shown in other tragedies, emphasizing that every life holds equal value.
