Recovery of 50 skeletons in Bengal triggers panic

Lalbagh, West Bengal, Jan 31 (UNI) Panic gripped the historic Murshidabad district when at least 50 skeletons were recovered during digging of a pond near Lalbagh here today, evoking heart-rending memories of the grisly Nithari killings.

PWD workers stumbled upon several human skulls besides some animal and human bones while digging the pond behind the Lalbagh sub-jail in the afternoon.

As many as 50 skeletons had been recovered so far from under the ground,'' Murshidabad Superintendent of Police Rahul Srivastava said.

All the skeletons were, however, dismembered with skulls and other body parts being separated from each other.

Police cordoned off the area as thousands of people thronged there following the news.

Mr Srivastava said the digging work had been stopped.

The District Magistrate and the Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) had also rushed to the spot.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said a special CID team and forensic experts would be reaching the area tomorrow from Kolkata, adding only forensic test could establish the exact date of human bodies being dumped.

The possibility of whether there was any graveyard at the site of recovery of skeletons was being investigated.

However, local people said the skeletons might be of those buried in the erstwhile graveyard.

UNI