Twisha Sharma death: MP Police urge family to claim body as AIIMS flags -80°C storage gap
Synopsis
Eight days after Twisha Sharma's death, AIIMS Bhopal has warned it cannot preserve her body at the required minus 80 degrees Celsius. MP Police are pressing the family to claim the remains — but the family is refusing until a second autopsy is done outside Madhya Pradesh. A magistrate court hearing on Wednesday could break the deadlock.
Key Takeaways
Twisha Sharma , wife of Samarth Singh , died on 12 May 2026 at her home in Katara Hills, Bhopal ; police classified the death as alleged suicide.
AIIMS Bhopal 's forensic department advised on 18 May that the body now requires minus 80°C storage to prevent decomposition — a facility the hospital does not have.
The body has been held at AIIMS Bhopal for eight days at standard minus 4°C , which slows but does not halt decomposition.
The family has refused custody and filed a plea before a Bhopal magistrate court seeking a second post-mortem at AIIMS New Delhi .
Police confirmed they have no objection to a re-post-mortem; a Dowry Prohibition Act investigation remains ongoing.
Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, formally urged the family of Twisha Sharma to take custody of her mortal remains from AIIMS Bhopal, after the institute's Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology warned that preventing decomposition now requires storage at minus 80 degrees Celsius — a facility the hospital does not possess.
What the Police Letter Said
Katara Hills Police Station wrote to Twisha Sharma's father stating that her body has been held in the AIIMS Bhopal mortuary since 13 May 2026 — eight days at the time of the letter. The letter noted the body is currently preserved at minus 4 degrees Celsius, the standard operating range for mortuary freezers, which 'slows but does not halt decomposition over long periods.'
On the night of 18 May 2026, the forensic medicine department at AIIMS Bhopal issued a written advisory stating that minus 80 degrees Celsius storage is now required to arrest further decomposition — a standard unavailable at the institute. Police warned there is now 'a high probability of decomposition setting in.'
Background: Death and Dowry Probe
Twisha Sharma, wife of Samarth Singh, died on 12 May 2026 at her residence in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal. Police classified the death as an alleged suicide. A post-mortem was conducted at AIIMS Bhopal on 13 May, and the body has remained in the mortuary since. An investigation under the Dowry Prohibition Act is ongoing.
Family's Demand for Second Post-Mortem
The family has refused to take custody of the body until a second post-mortem is conducted outside Madhya Pradesh. On Tuesday, 19 May, the family moved an application before a magistrate court in Bhopal seeking a second autopsy at AIIMS New Delhi. The family said an 'independent medical opinion from a premier national institution will help restore public confidence in the investigation.'
Police stated they have 'no objection' to a re-post-mortem being conducted, but pressed the family to make custody arrangements given the deteriorating condition of the remains.
What Happens Next
The magistrate's court in Bhopal was expected to take up the family's plea for a second autopsy later on Wednesday. The outcome of that hearing will likely determine whether the body is transferred to AIIMS New Delhi or released to the family. The preservation window, according to the forensic advisory, is narrowing.
Point of View
Which becomes critical the moment a contested death turns into a prolonged legal dispute. The family's demand for an out-of-state second autopsy is a familiar response to eroded institutional trust — and the fact that police themselves have no objection to a re-post-mortem signals the investigation is far from settled. The magistrate's ruling on Wednesday will be a test of whether the judicial process can move faster than decomposition.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Twisha Sharma and how did she die?
Twisha Sharma was the wife of Samarth Singh, residing in the Katara Hills area of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. She died on 12 May 2026, and police have classified her death as an alleged suicide; an investigation under the Dowry Prohibition Act is ongoing.
Why is AIIMS Bhopal unable to preserve Twisha Sharma's body?
AIIMS Bhopal's Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology issued an advisory on 18 May 2026 stating the body now requires storage at minus 80 degrees Celsius to prevent decomposition — a facility the institute does not have. Standard mortuary freezers operate between minus 4 and 4 degrees Celsius, which slows but does not halt decomposition over extended periods.
What is the family demanding before taking custody of the body?
The family has refused to take custody until a second post-mortem is conducted outside Madhya Pradesh. They have filed an application before a Bhopal magistrate court seeking the examination at AIIMS New Delhi, arguing an independent opinion will help restore public confidence in the investigation.
What is the current status of the legal proceedings?
The magistrate's court in Bhopal was expected to hear the family's plea for a second autopsy at AIIMS New Delhi on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. Police have stated they have no objection to a re-post-mortem being conducted.
What law is the Twisha Sharma case being investigated under?
Madhya Pradesh Police confirmed that an investigation under the Dowry Prohibition Act is ongoing in connection with Twisha Sharma's death.
