Shock grips Cherthala; Ten bone fragments found from Sebastian's property

BENGALURU: Shock spread across two states on Monday after bone fragments were unearthed from the graves of suspected murder victims in Dharmasthala in Karnataka and Cherthala in Kerala.

Based on the revelation of a sanitation worker, the Special Investigation Team investigating the Dharmasthala massacre found more remains of bodies yesterday. The remains were excavated from an unmarked point on a hilltop inside the forest.

The search was conducted by moving away from the previously marked points at the bathing ghat on the banks of the Netravati. A Skeleton, including a skull, suspected to be that of a 33-year-old man, was found.

The search has not yet begun in the fields of the accused people. 13 points were previously marked. By the sixth day, up to 11 points had been dug up. Around 25 bones were found from the sixth point. The SIT team is trying to bring in ground-penetrating radar to find the possibility of body remains underground. The investigation team is not releasing further details of the search. The search is based on revelations that more than a hundred women and girls were raped, killed, and buried in this spot.

CHERTHALA: More than ten bone fragments were found when the family property of Sebastian, suspected of being involved in cases related to the disappearance of three women, was dug up in Pallipuram Chungathara.

The Kottayam Crime Branch team investigating the Jaynamma case, the State Crime Branch team investigating the Bindu Padmanabhan case, and the Alappuzha District Crime Branch team investigating the Aisha case focused their investigation on Sebastian (68).

On the 28th of last month, a JCB that cleared the earth near Sebastian’s residence found a skull, a femur, and the remains of a clipped tooth. Everything found since then has been sent for DNA testing.

When the pond was drained, a bag, a part of a sari, and pieces of cloth were found. Cadaver dog 'Angel' found a part of a rosary.

When the second pond was drained, bones were found.

The unused septic tank was opened and examined, but nothing was found within it. The well was drained, and the examination continued into the night. Efforts are being made to detect the presence of bones underground using ground-penetrating radar.

During the investigation into the missing case of Ettumanoor native Jaymamma, it was found that Sebastian had recharged her phone number at a shop in Erattupetta. This led to his arrest.

The three investigation teams questioned Sebastian for several hours inside the house. Sebastian admitted having financial dealings with the three women but remained silent when asked about what happened to them.