MEERUT, May 28 -- In a shocking case of alleged police negligence, a 38-year-old man reported missing by his family was cremated as an unidentified body by the police, leaving his relatives devastated and demanding accountability. Sunil, a confectioner from Shahjahanpur, went missing on May 19 after leaving home to work as a daily wage labourer. His family promptly lodged a missing person's complaint with the Kithore police station and submitted his photograph. Despite repeated visits, no FIR was registered, and no action was taken. On Monday, the family discovered that Sunil had died and his body had already been cremated by the Mundali police, who had recovered it from the Maukhas outpost area and treated it as unclaimed. The family learned this only after launching their own investigation and speaking with locals in the area. "We kept pleading with the police, but they ignored us. No one helped," said Sangeeta, Sunil's wife. She, along with other family members, had spent over a week visiting various police stations, desperate for information. Police officials admitted to lapses on multiple fronts. According to deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pramod Kumar, the failure to register the missing complaint and the lack of coordination between police stations led to the tragic mishandling of the case. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Dr Vipin Tada has ordered a departmental inquiry, assigning SP Rural Rakesh Kumar Mishra to investigate. "Strict action will be taken against those found responsible," he said. The body, initially sent for postmortem and cremated as unclaimed, had not been matched with the missing complaint due to procedural oversights. The cause of Sunil's death remains unknown. Doctors have preserved his viscera for forensic testing, and the results are awaited. Sunil is survived by his wife and five children....