BARIPADA: A human skeleton was found in a forest near Merda village in Baisinga block of Mayurbhanj district on Friday.
Locals, who spotted the skeleton informed the local police which rushed to the spot and seized it for postmortem. Sources said a few people had gone to the forest, around 200 metre from Merda village, to attend the call of nature and stumbled upon the skeleton. They also spotted a bamboo stick, a slipper and a saree a few metres away from the skeleton.
Locals suspect the skeleton is that of Phulamani Singh, wife of late Bir Singh of the village. Phulamani’s family identified the saree, slippers and the bamboo stick used by her when she left her house along with a few others after a herd of elephants entered the village. The herd had allegedly damaged Phulamani’s house. The villagers believe Phulamani could have been killed by an elephant in the forest.
However, police said the identity of the deceased can be ascertained only after the postmortem report is received. It can be confirmed whether she was killed by an elephant or murdered after the report is released, said police after registered an UD case.