Skull, bones and ritual cloth found in sack pulled from Kerala’s Pamba river; probe on

Chengannur (Alappuzha, Kerala): A human skull and skeletal remains were found inside a sack recovered from the Pamba river beneath the Kallissery railway bridge near Chengannur on Tuesday afternoon.

The remains were found at around 3 pm by two young men who were fishing in the river. Their fishing line became snagged on a heavy object submerged in the water. Unable to pull it free, they entered the river to find out what had caught the line.

The pair then found a sack lying underwater. After bringing it to the riverbank and opening it, they found a human skull and bones inside and informed the authorities.

Burial-related items recovered from sack

Police from Chengannur reached the scene and carried out a preliminary examination. Following an inquest, the remains were taken into custody for further investigation.

Chengannur Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Kumar said an examination of the thigh bone indicated that the remains could belong to a person who was around six feet tall. He said the bones appeared to be old.

The sack also contained a shoshappa — a sacred cloth placed on a deceased person during burial by some Christian communities. Police also recovered a piece of yellow silk fabric and a handle believed to have come from a coffin.

Forensic examination under way

The skull and skeletal remains have been sent to Alappuzha Medical College for detailed examination.

Officials said the examination will seek to determine whether the remains bear any injuries or identifying features that could help establish the person's identity. The bones will also undergo forensic analysis.

The latest recovery comes weeks after suspected human bone fragments were found in the Pamba river near Nedumudy on May 19.

In that case, children fishing spotted a bag abandoned in the water and found the fragments inside.

Initial assessments suggested those bone fragments may have been used by medical students for academic study.