The last rites of former actor-model Twisha Sharma, who was allegedly harassed for dowry, were performed on Jattvibeday evening in Bhopal, with her brother Harshit lighting the funeral pyre.The cremation at Bhadbhada Vishram Ghat followed an intense and high-profile legal battle that began on May 12, when the 33-year-old former Miss Pune was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills. Earlier in the day, a second postmortem was conducted by a team from AIIMS, Delhi.As the pyre was lit, the emotional strain of the past two weeks became evident, with several family members breaking down after days of pursuing a second postmortem while trying to remain composed.The delayed cremation was possible only after a specialised AIIMS-Delhi team carried out a nearly four-hour second postmortem at AIIMS-Bhopal. The procedure primarily focused on preserving evidence and examining physical injuries that the family alleges were overlooked during the initial local investigation.Chief of Forensic Medicine at AIIMS, Delhi, Dr Sudhir Gupta, said the final report would take time as laboratory examinations, including histopathology and viscera analysis, were still pending.The team also visited Twisha’s residence and the scene of the incident to conduct assessment related to the case.Dr Gupta said the team would return on Monday with the samples, photographs, videos and written findings.The second autopsy was ordered by the Madhya Pradesh High Court after Twisha’s parents raised serious concerns over alleged procedural lapses by the local authorities.Twisha’s father, Navnidhi Sharma, struggled to hold back emotion as he paid tribute to his daughter and expressed faith in the Supreme Court, which has taken suo motu cognisance of the case.“She used to take care of us as a mother would. I don’t know how we would be able to live without her. This case will set an example in the coming days. A hope for justice has risen as the Supreme Court has taken cognisance,” he said after bidding final adieu to Twisha.In a press statement issued hours before the cremation, the Noida-based Sharma family described the anguish of the prolonged wait, saying the delay forced them to go against deeply held Hindu customs, under which post-death rituals are generally completed within a 13-day mourning period.The family said that no parent should have to endure the pain of carrying the mortal remains of their young daughter to her final resting place, yet they were compelled to wait several days before being able to bid her a final farewell.During the cremation, Twisha’s mother, Rekha, became inconsolable and nearly fainted. Women mourners nearby helped her to a lawn area and sprinkled water on her face.Twisha’s brother, Major Harshit Sharma, described her as emotional, loving and caring, comparing her to the first rays of the morning sun that brighten the day.Retired Major General Shyam Shrivastava, founder of the Vardi Foundation, said the organisation would continue supporting the family in its pursuit of justice.