Mangaluru: Skeletal remains suspected to be those of a 25-year-old excavator operator from Uttar Pradesh, who went missing on Oct 27, were found in an isolated area off Old Airport Road near Bajpe on Friday. Police suspect he was murdered by his friend.Manish Sharma had been working at the airport for two months under Somasundar, and was staying in a room with his friend Shravan. According to a complaint filed by Manish’s elder brother Sonu Sharma, he repeatedly tried calling Manish on Oct 27, but his phone was switched off. Somasundar later informed him that Manish had gone out with Shravan after work but had not returned.Sonu travelled from Bengaluru to Bajpe on Oct 30 and questioned Baijulal, a newly recruited excavator operator from Bihar, who was staying at the same premises. Baijulal reportedly said Shravan had taken Manish out on a motorcycle around 8 pm on Oct 27, claiming they were going for dinner. Shravan later returned alone and said Manish had gone to his hometown. He then asked Baijulal for a lift, saying he too was leaving for his hometown.A missing-person complaint was lodged at Bajpe police station on Nov 1. Suspecting a financial dispute, Sonu asked their father to check Manish’s bank transactions. The family found that Rs 63,000 and Rs 720 had been transferred from Manish’s account to a person identified as Rajan on Oct 27. The same amounts were transferred from Rajan’s account to Shravan’s account the next day.On Nov 9, police showed Sonu CCTV footage from Bajpe Church Junction. It allegedly showed Manish and Shravan travelling together on a motorcycle at 6.41 pm on Oct 27, while Shravan was seen returning alone at 7.52 pm.On Friday, while Sonu was accompanying police in the search for Manish, they noticed a foul smell from an isolated stretch off Old Airport Road. Bone fragments and pieces of a skull were found in a pit near an iron gate beside a mud road. A shirt and trousers were also recovered from the spot. Sonu identified the shirt as one worn by Manish.Bajpe police have launched an investigation and are trying to establish the identity of the remains and ascertain Shravan’s role.
