PALAKKAD: Muhammed Shanib, a resident of Kanjirapuzha in Palakkad, has been found dead under mysterious and tragic circumstances in Kashmir. Family members in Kerala told TNIE that they were contacted by a senior officer from the Gulmarg police station on Tuesday around 7.30 pm and informed about recovering the body of Shanib from the forests and his body bore signs of having been mauled by wild animals. The body is at least 10 days old.
26-year-old Shanib is the son of Karuvanthodi Veettil Abdul Samad and wife Haseena, residing in the ninth ward of Kanhirapuzha grama panchayat. “Shanib had been working in Bengaluru as an accountant at a private firm. He visited home on April 5 and returned to Bengaluru by train on the night of April 13. After that, he maintained only limited contact with the family.
He stopped answering phone calls from his parents and would respond only through text messages, saying he was busy with work. We were shocked to learn that he had travelled to Kashmir, as he had no known contacts there,” said Abdul Salam, elder brother of Shanib’s mother, in a statement to TNIE.
Relatives, along with Kanjirapuzha grama panchayat president Sathi Ramarajan, said that he had exhibited signs of mental health issues in the past, particularly after his attempt at the medical entrance examination. They also recalled that he had once gone missing during his school years.
“Later, he began doing electrical work in the village, and it was only three months ago that he moved to Bengaluru. His sister lives there, and until recently, he maintained regular contact with the family,” said another relative.