Vaniyappara cemetery mystery: Grave to be opened today for scientific examination

IRITTY: The grave at Vaniyappara will be opened today to unravel a mystery that has continued for the past ten days. The Thalassery Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) has granted permission to open tomb No. 38 at the Infant Jesus Church cemetery in Vaniyappara, located in Ayyankunnu panchayat, for scientific examination. Revenue officials, including the RDO, along with forensic experts, will be present during the inspection.

The grave is being opened to identify a suspicious object that was found wrapped in a plastic mat and appeared to be human remains. If it is confirmed to be a body, an inquest and other legal procedures will be carried out. DNA testing will also be conducted to establish the identity.

The mystery came to light on June 13, when the grave was opened to bury another person. During the process, a coffin and a body-like object wrapped in a plastic mat were found inside the same grave. This raised questions about how a third object appeared in a tomb that was believed to contain only two burials- Rosaamma, who died in 2006, and Jaison Kumbookkal, who died in 2015. Church authorities informed the police after the discovery.

As per Christian burial customs, bodies are not buried wrapped in plastic mats. Relatives of Jaison Kumbookkal said he was buried in a coffin in 2015 and that the grave was cleaned and prepared with sand and white cloth before the burial. They also said no third object was present at that time. The Karikkottakkari police are investigating the case.

The decision to conduct a scientific examination was taken after discussions between Rural Special Branch DySP K E Premachandran, Peravoor DySP Mohanachandran, Karikkottakkari Inspector N Prasanth, and church authorities.

Concern over missing person Sijo
The possibility that the object could be linked to missing person Sijo Scaria has raised further questions. Sijo, a native of Vilangad in Kozhikode, has been missing for 12 years. In 2014, Sijo left his wife’s family home in Vaniyappara, saying he was going to a shop, but never returned. Since he went missing from the same area where the church is located, his relatives have raised doubts.

However, Sijo’s wife Nikhila said she does not believe the remains could be her husband’s.

“He has been missing for 12 years. I believe it is not him. Sijo had no enemies,” she said.

At the same time, Nikhila and Sijo’s brother Binoy have demanded that the grave be opened and examined to clear the doubts.