Missing woman's skeletal remains found in Puttur

Mangaluru: In a tragic discovery, skeletal remains, including a skull, arm, and leg bones, were found atop a hill in Urva, in Olmogru village, Puttur taluk.

Based on clothing found at the scene, authorities identified the remains as those of Nalinakshi (40), a woman who had been missing since October 2 from the same area.

Nalinakshi, originally from Kanyana in Bantwal taluk, was married to Sanjeev Mugera, a resident of Urva in Olmogru, about a year and a half ago. Due to her ongoing health issues, she frequently visited her maternal home in Kanyana for treatment at Wenlock Hospital in Mangalru. On October 2, she reportedly left her husband's house without informing anyone, prompting Sanjeev to alert her family. He reported her missing at Sampya Police Station on October 8 but didn’t return with her photo as requested by the police.

A month passed without any news, leading her relatives to visit Urva on November 2 to continue the search. They noticed a saree hanging from a cashew tree in front of Sanjeev's house. Upon inspection, they found hair, clothing, skull fragments, and bone segments in the area.

Sampya Police Station’s team led by SI Sushma Bhandari, and assisted by local officials, collected the remains for forensic examination. Nalinakshi’s mother, Lakshmi, lodged a formal complaint with the police, mentioning her daughter’s mental health challenges and suggesting the possibility of suicide. Bloodstains were also found near the house, which led the relatives up the hill to where the saree was found.

Further investigations are ongoing to clarify the circumstances of Nalinakshi’s death.