KOLLENGODE: A human skull was found near a stream in Panthapara hill, a forest area in Muthalamada. The skull was found in a wooded area where water flows during the rainy season. Ayyappan, a native of Chappakkad, who went to collect forest resources on Saturday evening, found the skull. Following the information, the families of Samuel (28) and Murukesan (28), who went missing from Chappakkad on August 30, contacted the Kollengode police station. Following this, the Kollengode police reached the spot and guarded the skull. Yesterday, a team of experts including the police reached Panthappara and conducted an extensive search for the body parts other than the skull, but nothing was found. It is suspected that wolves or foxes may have taken the body from the place where it was buried.

The police assume that the youths had entered the forest. The skull was shifted to Palakkad District Hospital. The investigation team has decided to conduct further inspections in the area. After taking the DNA sample of the relatives, it will be sent to the lab in Thrissur for forensic examination. The initial assessment of the police is that the skull is not very old. Chittoor DySP Sundaran, SHOs Vipindas (Kollengode), Adam Khan (Puthunagaram), Mathew (Meenakshipuram), Sasidharan (Kozhinjampara), forensic team Anirudhan, Muhadali Hakkeem, fingerprint experts Soumya Francis, Crime Branch, and Forest Department conducted the investigation.