Paralakhemundi,(Tarini Prasad Panda): In a grim and haunting discovery that has cast a pall of sorrow over the region, a skeletal body was recovered from the revered heights of Sitapahad under Gosani block in Gajapati district. The tranquil hill, known for its spiritual aura, turned into a scene of tragedy as the remains were identified to be that of 81-year-old Krushna Chandra Behera of Ghorani village.
Missing for nearly two months, the elderly man had vanished into uncertainty, prompting his family to lodge a missing complaint at Gurandi police station. Their long and anxious wait met a sorrowful end when devotees, descending from the hill shrine after offering prayers, stumbled upon the decomposed remains.
Time and nature had taken their toll—the body lay fragmented, reduced largely to a skeleton, though faint traces of identity lingered in the partially intact face and the clothes and footwear scattered nearby. Suspicion soon turned into heartbreaking confirmation as the deceased’s son, Basudev Behera, along with villagers, identified the remains.
The incident also brought to light jurisdictional ambiguity, as confusion arose between Gurandi and Garabandha police stations over the exact location of the discovery. Despite this, a police team led by Garabandha officer Prashant Nisika promptly initiated an investigation at the site.
Locals revealed that Krushna Chandra, battling mental instability, often wandered away from home, only to return intermittently. This time, however, his journey ended in solitude amidst the silent hills.
As the investigation continues, Sitapahad stands as a solemn witness to a life lost in obscurity—its winds now carrying whispers of a story both tragic and profound.
