Raichur, 25 October

Police have detained three people for allegedly digging up human bones from a cemetery in Raichur and selling it to a private medical college. 

The incident came to light on Friday after locals raised concerns that human remains were being removed from graves at the Maruti Nagar cemetery in Raichur, located behind Akashvani premises on Mantralaya Road, Ward No 13. Acting on the complaints, police visited the spot and conducted an inspection and found that bones and other parts of a buried body were being dug up and transported elsewhere.

Police sources said that they are yet to confirm if these bones were being sold to the Navodaya Medical College in Raichur for research. The accused have said that the remains were being sold there, but police remain sceptical about this, saying that these are just claims made by the accused and they need solid evidence before establishing this connection. Police said that they are still in the process of establishing the exact supply-chain. 

Salar News tried calling Navodaya Medical College registrar Srinivas T, but was unable to get a response. 

The three accused are Veeresh Talawara Anjaneya, 28; Raju Narasappa, 35, and MD Afsar Junimiya. 

Talawara was working at the graveyard, Raichur Superintendent of Police Arunangshu Giri told Salar News. Investigators suspect that human remains were being removed from buried bodies and handed over to the other accused. 

Once the graves were dug up and the remains removed, the perpetrators quickly covered their tracks. Many families did not even know that the graves were desecrated.  

Giri added: "There are also allegations that small amounts of money, reportedly ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, were paid in exchange for the remains. However, these claims, including the alleged financial transactions and the involvement of college personnel, requires verification.”

Giri noted that there have been videos circulating on social media about people desecrating the graves. 

CASE BREEDS SUPERSTITION 

The case has shocked locals, with rumours being spread about the presence of ghosts and spirits, leaving local residents frightened and deeply disturbed. Residents are questioning now if the dead are truly at peace. 

Locals also alleged that they had occasionally seen human body parts scattered around the cemetery. The discovery of skulls and skeletal remains lying around the burial ground has furthered public anxiety and fear.

However, others said that the desecration was nothing new. 

“The removal of human remains from the Maruti Nagar cemetery has been happening for several years under cover of darkness,” B Basavaraj Suryaday, a resident, told Salar News. “Even the bodies buried in the graveyard have no peace."

He said residents had complained to local police multiple times, but no action was taken. 

When asked by Salar News, Raichur Deputy Commissioner Poovitha S dismissed this charge, saying that as soon as the complaint was received on Friday, police were on the spot investigating. She said that police are trying to verify “where the skeletal remains are being transported, where they are being sold, which colleges are receiving them, and for what purpose the skeletal remains are being used."

However, SP Giri noted that: “Police are now trying to establish how long the alleged activity had been taking place and whether other individuals were involved”.