Kochi: Ending the mystery shrouding the recovery of a skeleton found sandwiched in concrete in a plastic drum at Kumbalam in January, the police has finally 'identified' the deceased as 54-year old Udayamperoor native K. S. Shakunthala. According to sources, the probe over a month was based on the missing woman, and a team even went to Mumbai to trace her after her relatives expressed doubt that she had gone there. What provided a breakthrough was the recovery of a 6.5 cm malleolar screw from the skeleton.

A probe found only six persons had availed of the treatment for leg fracture using the screw from a hospital in Tripunithura. Though the cops managed to trace five others, the woman was missing. “The forensic experts had confirmed the skeleton to be that of a woman. We then conducted a DNA test using blood samples collected from her daughter Aswati. The report of the test conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Thiruvananthapuram, has come out and is reportedly matching with the skeleton. The report will be sent to us officially by Friday only,” a senior officer said.





The second phase of the investigation will now cover factors leading to her murder and the killer. The special investigation team suspects a man who committed suicide at Eroor on January 9, a day after the skeleton was recovered.
“The woman was living alone after her son committed suicide. She also was not in talking terms with her daughter after she got a divorce. She had received a good amount of money from the sale of land she owned in Perumbavoor. As per her daughter’s statement, the man who committed suicide was a close family friend. However, nothing is conclusive now, and the probe is progressing,” the officer said. The barrel was found on the bank of Vembanad Lake. Only the skeleton, some hair strands and bits and pieces of clothes were found.