Pit cleaning turns chilling: Bones, skull discovered at Bengaluru apartment complex

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Human bones, including a skull, were discovered on Monday in a percolation pit at an apartment complex in Bengaluru’s Begur area, The Hindu reported.

The remains were found on June 16 at the MN Credence Flora Apartments in the New Mico Layout when workers were cleaning the pit as part of maintenance ordered by the Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA).

According to the police, the skeletal parts were first noticed by contract workers who had been hired to clean the stormwater percolation pits across the complex. These pits are used to let rainwater seep into the ground and are spread across different corners of the property.

One of the workers stumbled upon bones and immediately informed the RWA president, who then contacted the Begur police. The police registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) and began further investigation, according to a report by TOI.

The police officials said that it is not yet confirmed whether the remains belong to a human or an animal. The bones and skull have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for detailed examination, and the results are expected within a week.

Adding a layer of speculation to the case, some longtime residents suggested that the land on which the apartment complex stands may have once been a burial ground. "It's possible the remains surfaced from there," TOI quoted a senior police officer as saying.

The apartment complex, which has around 45 flats and has been occupied for about 10 years, was recently flagged by civic officials for poor maintenance of its stormwater systems. This led to the RWA organising a full clean-up of all 16 percolation pits on the premises. "There are 16 percolation pits in different corners of the apartment complex. Workers found the remains in one of the pits," an officer of Begur police station said.

Meanwhile, a sense of fear and reluctance has gripped the residents in the vicinity. An 'istri wallah' (ironing man) recalled hearing about the incident and seeing an ambulance at the scene on Monday night. "After the skeletal remains were found, I have not gone to the apartment because I do not want to get involved and dragged into unnecessary complications. I do not mind losing business, and I would like to stay away from this,” Deccan Herald quoted him as saying.