Skull, bones found in abandoned house in Thane; police launch probe

A humanlike skull and skeletal remains have been found at an abandoned house in Maharashtras Thane district prompting police to launch an investigation officials said reported news agency PTIA person spotted the skeletal remains at the house located in a chawl row tenement at Mhatre Nagar in the Sonarpada area of Dombivli on January 3 and alerted the police an official from Manpada police station said on Tuesday reported PTIThe police then reached the spot and recovered a humanlike skull bones some clothes sandals bracelets a wire hair ring hair samples and bloodstained soil from the premises he saidFollowing a directive from a medical officer at a local hospital the remains were sent to the governmentrun JJ Hospital in Mumbai for a detailed forensic examination the official said reported PTIThe Manpada police have registered a case of accidental death and are conducting a probe into it he addedMinor girl from Palghar raped by man she met on Instagram hunt on for accusedIn another case police have launched a search for a man accused of kidnapping raping and blackmailing a 17yearold girl from Maharashtras Palghar district after meeting her on Instagram officials said on Tuesday reported PTIThe victim a resident of Valiv in Palghar became friends with the accused through the social media platform Instagram Their friendship turned into a love affair following which the victim eloped with the accused to Madhya PradeshShe lived with the accused between February and September 2025 during which time she was allegedly subjected to torture and sexual abuse a police official saidThe victim later managed to escape and returned to her parents home in September The accused subsequently began posting objectionable content including the victims pictures on social media platforms to malign her and force her to come back to him he said reported PTIEarlier in February last year following her disappearance her family had lodged a case of kidnapping against the accusedBased on a fresh complaint by the victims sister the police registered a case against the accused on December 28 2025 under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections including 64 rape and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences POCSO Act and the Information Technology Act the official saidThe complaint did not specify the reason for the delay in reporting the crime Search was on for the accused the police added reported PTIWith inputs from PTI