BHADRAK: Bhadrak SP Manoj Rout on Sunday directed the Bhandaripokhari police to investigate into the allegations of bodies being stolen from a burial ground in Maninathpur village.
At least five bodies were reportedly exhumed and stolen from the burial ground at Maninathpur under Bhandaripokhari police limits, located on the banks of Baitarani river, on Thursday night. Bhandaripokhari IIC Rajalakshmi Nayak said a complaint was filed by villagers on Sunday in connection with the theft of the bodies.
The stolen bodies belonged to villagers who had died within the last two months. Villagers suspect that the bodies may have been stolen for occult practices, scientific experiments, or medical education. They also suspect that local individuals maybe involved in providing information about recent burials to facilitate the thefts.
Residents have demanded strict action to stop such incidents, alleging that earlier complaints did not receive adequate police attention. Solampur sarpanch Paramananda Nayak said this is not the first such incident in the area. Grave thefts were first reported in 2016 when villagers found that the body of a child, who had drowned in a river sand pit and was buried two months earlier, had been exhumed.
In the same year, another body was also dug out. In 2017, two bodies including that of state award-winning headmaster Basudev Das were exhumed. Villagers had reported that around four bodies buried at the burial ground had been stolen in 2016 and 2017. On the night of June 23, 2023, three more bodies went missing, prompting a police complaint.
Clothes used during the last rites were recovered near the dug-up graves.The decomposed flesh of two of the deceased, who had died just 22 days earlier, was reportedly removed. In another such incident in April 2025, the body of a woman was exhumed within 10 days of her death.
Water and liquor bottles were found at the site and nearly 200 metres away, decomposed flesh and undergarments were discovered. SP Rout said according to villagers, bodies of only those persons who died in the last two months, have been stolen.
Police suspect that the human remains are being stolen for their skeletons. “Villagers have lodged a complaint in connection with the incident. Acting on it, police have registered a case. The Bhandaripokhari IIC has been directed to conduct an inquiry and submit a report,” he