Pics: Inchara Udupi
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Apr 8: A few children, who had come together with the intention of plucking some palm fruits from trees located in a thicket at Ajilakadu near Kallugudde Renjalapade within Majo0r-Heroor gram panchayat limits near Kaup on Sunday April 6, were taken aback at the sight of a human skull. The children, overtaken by fear, rushed to their homes and told their parents about their find.
The thicket where the skull was found belongs to Sudhir Shetty, a local resident. After the incident came to the notice of Shirva station house officer, P Ashok, on Monday, he went to the spot along with some personnel and checked the spot for any other clues. A pair of footwear was found near the skull. The skull was taken away by the police.
Ashok later told the media persons that the skull appears to be eight to ten years old. He surmised that this skull would have belonged to a deceased person who was buried in the cemetery belonging to Bethel church located nearby. He felt that animals like dogs or foxes would have dug up the graveyard and brought the skull here. He however, promised to conduct detailed investigation into the incident.
Several residents living nearby, speaking to media persons, said that they have been facing multifarious problems on account of the burial ground belonging to Bethel church. ‘Our complaints to the gram panchayat in this respect have been repeatedly overlooked. Recovery of skull in this area has now created an atmosphere of fear and tension. People and the children are fearful of moving about in this area,’ they explained. They also requested the police to take suitable steps to reinforce a sense of reassurance among the locals.
However, pastor, Sunil D’Souza, who is in-charge of ‘Vishwasada Mane’ at Shankarpura near here, insisted that this skull cannot be from the burial ground of the church, as the ground is surrounded by compound wall. He felt that it was quite unlikely that animals would be able to dig out and shift skulls outside the burial ground. He asked the police to conduct in-depth investigation into the incident.
A case was registered at Shirva police station on the basis of complaint made by Sudhir Shetty. Investigation is continuing.