Bengaluru: Skull discovered in dumpyard triggers police probe
For pourakarmikas on the morning shift in Govinda Shetty Palya near Electronics City, the stench of rotting garbage is routine. But on Tuesday morning, their work came to an abrupt halt when they spotted a human skull lying on a heap of trash. A few steps away, the bones of arms and legs were scattered in the pile.
Startled, the workers raised an alarm, and word quickly spread through the narrow residential lanes. Residents gathered at the site, covering their noses with dupattas and handkerchiefs. Some even speculated whether the discovery was linked to the ongoing Dharmasthala case, which has drawn widespread attention in recent weeks.
Police arrive at the scene
The pourakarmikas promptly alerted the police. By 8.30 am, officers from Parappana Agrahara police station, along with the Hoysala patrol team, cordoned off the area and began preliminary enquiries. Residents were questioned about any unusual activity the previous night.
It was then that a man from a nearby building, Jaya Prakash, stepped forward. Nervous but cooperative, he admitted that he had dumped the skeleton in the garbage yard.
Skeleton traced to medical college
Prakash explained that the remains were not connected to any crime. They had been issued to his daughter, a second-year MBBS student at a private medical college in Virgonagar, as part of her anatomy course.
Medical colleges often provide students with human skeletons for academic study, collected legally through authorised channels. Students pay a deposit — in this case ₹4,000 — which is refunded once the skeleton is returned.
According to police, Prakash told them that when his daughter suggested returning the skeleton, he dismissed the idea, considering it too much trouble for the refund. Instead, he carried the bones late on Monday night and dumped them in the nearby garbage yard.
Police confirm no foul play
Investigators cross-checked Prakash’s version with the college authorities, who confirmed that the skeleton had indeed been issued to his daughter. With no evidence of foul play, the police decided not to register a case. Prakash was let off with a warning.
A senior officer said: “The man should have returned the skeleton to the college. Dumping it in a public space caused unnecessary panic, but since there was no criminal intent, he has been warned.”
Shock and relief in neighbourhood
By afternoon, the tension in Govinda Shetty Palya had eased, but not before giving residents a major scare. While police left satisfied that the discovery was not linked to any crime, the incident has raised questions about safe disposal of educational skeletal material.
For the pourakarmikas who first spotted the skull glinting under the morning light, it remains a disturbing memory. One of them said quietly, “We see all kinds of things in the trash, but this is something we cannot forget.”
Conclusion
What began as a suspected crime scene ended as a case of negligence, underscoring how everyday academic practices, when mishandled, can create public alarm. The police have urged students and parents to follow due process in returning skeletons to colleges to avoid such incidents in the future.