Man performs ‘shraddha’ for living wife in Malda

Malda: In a one-of-its-kind incident, Achintya Roy, a mason from Malda, performed the last rites (shraddha) for his wife, Draupadi Roy despite her being alive. The bizarre ritual, which included shaving his head and organising a feast for the villagers, took place in Parashatola village, under Barui Gram Panchayat of Harishchandrapur Block I.

The 35-year-old Draupad had been married to Achintya for 19 years, but did not have any children. On March 18, Draupadi left her husband and eloped with another man, leaving Achintya devastated. What worsened the situation was her social media activity — she began posting videos and reels with her new partner and even sent them to Achintya on WhatsApp. Feeling humiliated and betrayed, Achintya decided to sever all ties with her, symbolically performing her funeral rites.

The ceremony was conducted with traditional Hindu rituals, including a priest reciting mantras and a feast for relatives and villagers.

Ashalata Roy, a family member, justified the act, stating that the ritual was meant to send a message against such betrayals in their village.

Achintya, expressing his grief, revealed that he had trusted Draupadi completely, depositing all his earnings in her bank account. However, she frequently spoke to someone late at night and ignored his warnings. Eventually, she took her clothes, jewellery and Rs 40,000 before leaving. He initially filed a missing complaint but later, upon seeing her posts with her lover, decided to cut all ties through the symbolic last rites.