In a chilling incident, police recovered 18 severed body parts, including two headless torsos, from the Durgawati River in Bihar’s Kaimur district, officials said on Monday.
The remains were packed inside two blue suitcases, were discovered beneath a bridge along the Mohania-Chausa National Highway after locals noticed a strong foul smell and alerted authorities. When residents approached the spot, they found two mutilated torsos floating in the river along with suitcases containing severed limbs and other body parts.
Police suspect the suitcases burst open after being dumped into the river.
ALSO READ: TCS Nashik Case: NCW's Fact-Finding Panel Reports Systematic Harassment, Molestation And Abuse
According to officials, one of the victims is believed to be a child aged between 10 and 12 years. Investigators also found traces of nail polish on one of the severed hands, suggesting that the second victim may have been a woman.
A massive search operation continued for several hours, during which police recovered body parts belonging to two individuals from different sections of the river.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Hari Mohan Shukla said the manner in which the bodies were dismembered and dumped indicated that the crime was premeditated.
“They dumped the bodies in the river to destroy the evidence,” he said.
Shukla added that no missing persons reports matching the victims had been filed in the district so far. However, police have sought information regarding missing persons from neighbouring districts in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The decomposed body parts have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Patna for forensic examination and identification.