'He Could Have Been Alive': Kerala High Court Flags Systemic Failure After DNA Confirms Body Of Missing Deportee Suraj Lama

The Kerala High Court was on Friday (06 February) informed that the body recovered from Kalamassery belongs to Suraj Lama, an Indian citizen who was deported from Kuwait but went missing after arriving at Kochi.

The division bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice M B Snehalatha which was considering the habeas corpus petition, has directed the Nedumbasery SHO to produce the case file of Suraj Lama Missing Case along with the Post mortem report by the next posting date. 

The habeas corpus petition was filed by Lama's son with the assistance of KeLSA (Kerala Legal Service Authority).

Suraj Lama was deported from Kuwait and sent to Kochi pursuant to official orders. However, despite his visibly vulnerable condition, described as involving possible cognitive and other impairments, he was cleared by all authorities, including immigration and airport security, and allowed to leave the airport without assistance.

A complaint on the missing was filed as early as 8 October 2025. Despite this, he was reportedly seen by several citizens three or four days thereafter. At one point, police officers found him loitering and, noticing his poor health, sent him to the Kalamaserry Medical College Hospital. But he was discharged and sent away on the ground that he did not suffer from any apparent medical issues.

The Court had earlier constituted a Special Investigation Team for investigation of the case and also flagged the systemic failure in the handling of the deportation. 

The Court observed that if the proper protocols were followed by the police, when the missing case was registered, he could have been traced. As mentioned earlier, Thrikkakara Police found Lama and took him into protective custody on 10 October, 2025 and was sent to Kalamaserry Police. 

"Prima facie, had the protocol been fully followed, we are sure that Suraj Lama would have ben alive today, as the police would have understood that he is the person missing and perhaps would have handed him over to his family." 

A body was recovered from the proposed Judicial City Area in Kalamassery by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was suspected to belong to Suraj Lama. Today, a DNA report was submitted which confirmed that the recovered body belonged to Suraj Lama. 

The Court has thus directed the SHO, Nedumbassery, or the Investigating officer to be present in the Court to produce the entire file regarding the case along with the post mortem report of Lama for its perusal. 

It has also directed the Superintendent of Ernakulam Medical College, Kalamasserry to release the body of Lama to his family. 

"It is very strange that it is happening. We are very clear that this is something that should never happen.... We can only apologize to the family on behalf of the system." the Court said 

The case is posted on Monday. 

Case Title: Santon Lama v State of Kerala

Case No: WP(Crl.) 1421/ 2025

Counsel for Petitioner: Parvathi Menon