Skeleton found inside unused water tank in Vasai

The police said the tank had not been in use for years and that the body appeared to have been inside it for a long time, with the flesh completely decomposed and only skeletal remains left

Mumbai: A human skeleton was found inside an unused water tank atop a chawl in Manikpur, Vasai West, causing a stir in the area on Sunday morning.

Skeleton found inside unused water tank in Vasai

The police said the tank had not been in use for years and that the body appeared to have been inside it for a long time, with the flesh completely decomposed and only skeletal remains left. The bones have been sent to a forensic laboratory for examination.

The discovery was made at a two-storey chawl named Barkulya, located in the Phadbav Shejol area of Manikpur village. The 30-year-old chawl, which has 10 rooms, is occupied mainly by hawkers who work near Vasai railway station.

According to police, the chawl owner recently decided to demolish the old, unused water tank located on the terrace. Demolition work began on Saturday, and on Sunday, when workers partially broke the northern wall of the tank using a breaker machine, they found pieces of human bones and a skull. The Manikpur police were immediately alerted.

A detailed search of the tank led to the recovery of a skull, several bones, and clothes, including a shirt and trousers. As per initial investigations, the remains appear to be that of a man, police said.

Following the discovery, the Manikpur police have registered a case of unnatural death under Section 194 and are probing both accidental death and the possibility of murder. “We are checking records of missing persons from the last five years,” said police sub-inspector Harish Patil, the investigating officer.

The police suspect the deceased may have been a hawker aged between 35 and 40 years. A shirt and trousers found near the remains had a tailor’s label, which is being used to help establish the identity of the deceased.

Last year, three hawkers died in a room in the same chawl due to a gas leak, following which an accidental death case was registered. The police said they are examining whether the two incidents are connected.