Chennai: The police have confirmed that the burnt body found in Chengalpet in Tamil Nadu is not of Jesna, the missing Keralite student. Tests revealed that the body belonged to a lactating woman who is older than Jesna. With the confirmation, the police team probing the Jesna case has decided to return to Kerala.
Jesna's brother on Saturday told Manorama News that he could not identify the body as that of Jesna's. A Kerala police team probing the missing case had rushed to Chengalpattu after the Tamil Nadu cops informed them.
Meanwhile, the deceased was identified as one Pokkisha Mary, a resident of Annanagar in Chennai. She had been missing for the past one week. Her scooter was found from Koyambedu recently.
The body was found at Pazhaveli in Chengalpattu on the Chennai-Tiruchirappally highway on May 28. The police suspected that the body could be of Jesna, 20, missing since March 22, as there were braces on the teeth.
The police recovered from the site an iron part of a bag and a white bottle which is marked as packed in Coimbatore.
Early on Monday, the patrol party had noted something being burnt in a jute bag on the deserted Pazhaveli area on the Chennai-Tiruchi national highway. They found it to be a human body, but it had burnt up 90 per cent by the time the cops brought water from a hotel half-a-kilometer away to douse the fire.
The police said two people fled on seeing them. Their conclusion is that the body was burnt there after a murder was committed elsewhere.
The Kerala DGP had handed over details on Jesna to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police, and requested for any clue that they might come across. The Chengalpattu DySP passed on information on the sighting of the body to Kerala police as it bore resemblance in height and body structure and had dental braces. The police could not do finger-printing analysis as fingers on the body were seriously burnt.
If the Kerala police are unable to get any strong clues, a DNA test is the only option.
The BCom student had gone missing while she was on her way from her home in Pathanamthitta to her aunt's house in the neighbouring Kottayam district. The Kerala police team reached Chengalpattu Friday night. The body has been kept in the mortuary of the Chengalpattu General Hospital.
Jesna's mysterious disappearance led to protests by many groups in the state, demanding a detailed probe into the case. A special investigation team has been formed to probe the case.
Earlier in May, the investigating team had visited Bengaluru after receiving information that a woman, who resembled Jesna was spotted near Madiwala in the city. However, upon verification, the police team could not find any clue. Anto Antony MP had urged the police to verify CCTV footage from Nimhans after reports that Jesna and another person had gone there.