Does tomb no. 38 hold remains of Sijo Scaria? Discovery of unmarked third body in cemetery sparks investigation in Kannur

KANNUR: A bizarre and unsettling discovery at a parish cemetery in Iritty has triggered a high-profile investigation, with the Kerala Police moving swiftly to untangle a mystery that reads like a crime thriller.

The focal point of the probe is Tomb No. 38 at the Infant Jesus Church cemetery in Vaniyappara, where investigators discovered a third, unauthorised body wrapped in a mat, clandestinely tucked alongside two legally interred remains.

The discovery has sent shockwaves through the local community and breathed new life into a six-year-old missing person case.

The case took a dramatic turn when relatives of Sijo Scaria, a man from Vilangad in Kuttiady who vanished without a trace six years ago, came forward. Suspecting foul play, they alleged that the mysterious third body could be his.

Following their claims, the Karikkottakari police registered a formal case. The momentum shifted into high gear after Sijo’s mother took the matter directly to the top, filing urgent petitions with the Chief Minister and the State Director General of Police (DGP). Responding to the gravity of the situation, the Kannur Rural Police Commissioner ordered an immediate, comprehensive inquiry.

To break the deadlock, law enforcement has decided to completely open Tomb No. 38 and retrieve the remains for advanced forensic analysis.

Current Status: The exhumation is frozen in place, waiting for the formal nod from the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), expected this Tuesday. In the meantime, police personnel have been deployed to guard the cemetery round-the-clock to prevent any tampering with the scene.

On Monday morning, a high-level briefing was convened under the supervision of the RDO. The meeting brought together senior police officials, church administrative heads, and local political representatives to map out the logistics of the exhumation and subsequent DNA profiling.

Interestingly, it was the church administration itself that initially sounded the alarm. During routine management of the public tombs, workers noticed the highly unusual sight of a body wrapped crudely in a mat, jammed next to the authorised coffins.

Recognising that this burial skipped all official parish records and religious rites, the parish priest flagged the anomaly to the authorities. The parish management has since pledged total cooperation with the ongoing police investigation to clear the church's name and uncover how an illegal burial took place under the cover of darkness.

With forensic teams on standby, the upcoming RDO-led exhumation is expected to provide the vital DNA clues needed to identify the anonymous body and determine whether tomb 38 holds the answers to a family’s agonising six-year wait for the truth.