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Man declared dead returns alive after family funeral ceremony

A resident of the Kokawewa Police Division area has shocked his family by returning home alive after they completed funeral and almsgiving ceremonies, believing him to have passed away.

LSN Sri Lanka · 18 September 2026

Man declared dead returns alive after family funeral ceremony

In an extraordinary turn of events, a man presumed dead has reappeared, confounding his family who had already conducted full funeral rites and religious observances in his honour.

The incident occurred within the Kokawewa Police Division area, where the family had proceeded with traditional funeral arrangements and almsgiving ceremonies based on the belief that the man had died. The exact circumstances surrounding the initial presumption of death and the man's subsequent reappearance remain unclear.

Such incidents, while rare, highlight the challenges families sometimes face in confirming deaths, particularly in remote or rural areas where communication delays or misidentification can occur. The family's completion of funeral rites before the man's return presents an unusual situation within the context of local funeral customs and practices.

The Kokawewa Police Division has confirmed the incident. Authorities have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances that led to the initial belief of death or the explanation provided by the man for his absence during the funeral proceedings.