Vaniyappara grave mystery resolved; object found in grave was not a third body

Kannur: A grave at the Infant Jesus Church cemetery in Vaniyappara under Ayyankunnu panchayat in Kerala's Kannur district, which had sparked suspicion after an unusual finding, was opened and inspected on Wednesday. Police said an object found wrapped in a mat inside the grave was not a third body.

The issue came to light last week when grave number 38 was opened for another burial. Those present noticed a mat lying outside the coffin in an unusual manner. A review of burial records showed that only two bodies had been interred in the grave, raising questions about the unidentified object.

Following this, church authorities sought an inquiry to remove any uncertainty surrounding the matter. The grave was reopened and examined on Wednesday morning under the supervision of the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO). Social activist Madathil Abdul Azeez was among those who entered the grave and took part in the inspection.

Police investigating the matter said the mat found inside the grave had likely come from the coffin of one of the bodies buried there earlier. 

Church sought inquiry after unusual finding

Church officials informed the police immediately after noticing the object, as bodies are not buried wrapped in mats under Christian burial customs.

An examination of records relating to grave number 38 did not reveal any reference to an object matching what had been found wrapped in the mat.

Records showed that two burials had previously taken place in the grave, in 2006 and 2015.

The family of the person buried in 2006 were residents of the parish, and photographs relating to the burial were available.

The family of the person buried in 2015 had later moved to another parish near Peravoor. The second burial was that of a man named James from that family.

Police brought James's wife to the cemetery and confirmed that the grave was the one in which he had been buried. The inspection later established that the object found inside the grave was not a third body.