Berhampur: The mystery surrounding an 18-month-old case of a missing 24-year-old man might finally be resolved as police recovered a human skeleton from an abandoned house near a defunct spinning mill at Aska in Ganjam district on Tuesday. The family members of the missing man, identified as A Shankar Patra of Narsinghpur, claimed the skeleton belonged to him, stating they recognized his clothes and shoes lying beside the remains.
DNA Analysis Underway
The skeleton has been sent to the forensic department of MKCG Medical College in Berhampur for DNA profiling, said Damodar Bihari, inspector-in-charge of Kotinada police station. “We will confirm if the skeleton is of the missing person only after getting the DNA report,” he stated.
Background of the Case
Shankar, a grocery shop owner, had been missing since November 29, 2024. His family lodged a missing person report on December 1, 2024, at Kotinada police station after an intensive search failed to locate him. Police registered the case and initiated searches.
Family Allegations
Family members alleged that Shankar’s friends, whom he met on the day of his disappearance, might have killed him and dumped the body in the abandoned house to destroy evidence. “He had called some of his friends to meet on November 29, 2024. He did not return home after meeting them, and his mobile phone was found switched off. His friends did not provide satisfactory answers about his whereabouts,” said his father, A Laxman Patra.
Investigation Status
The inspector-in-charge noted that the family had not filed a formal murder complaint. “As of now, we have registered an unnatural death case and started an investigation,” he said. Police are awaiting the DNA report to confirm the identity before proceeding further.
