Human skeleton recovered from Suktel River in Bolangir; police probe links to missing youth, DNA test on cards

Bolangir Police on Sunday recovered a human skeleton from the Suktel River near Kumiapali under Bolangir Sadar police limits, prompting a forensic investigation to identify the remains. According to sources, police retrieved the skeletal remains after locals noticed bones lying partially submerged along the riverbank and alerted authorities.

A scientific team accompanied officers to the spot and collected the skeleton for examination. Preliminary inquiry suggests the remains may belong to a young man from Phataramunda village, who was missing for the last two months. However, police have said the identity cannot be confirmed without scientific verification.

Police Suspect Link to Missing Youth

Officers indicated that the physical structure and clothing remnants found near the skeleton resemble those of Prashant, a youth who disappeared from Phataramunda shortly before Durga Puja this year. His family had lodged a missing persons report after he failed to return home, following which no trace had been found for weeks.

Both the local police and the scientific team are now analysing whether the discovery has any connection to the missing case, and whether foul play may be involved. Investigators are collecting statements from villagers and attempting to reconstruct the timeline of events leading up to the disappearance.

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DNA Examination to Determine Identity

The remains are being sent for DNA testing, which officials say will be crucial in determining the identity conclusively. Police sources added that the bone samples will be matched with familial DNA collected from the suspected missing youth’s relatives. Depending on the findings, the investigation may shift toward a criminal inquiry if evidence of unnatural death emerges.

As of the latest reports, the case remains under examination, and further action will be based on the forensic and DNA results.