The skeletal remains of a 16-year-old girl who went missing from Shikaripura in Shivamogga district nearly a year ago have been recovered from a forest area near Mavinagundi in Siddapur taluk of Uttara Kannada district. Police have arrested four people in connection with the case.
The girl, from Taralghatta village, had been working at a paying guest accommodation in Shikaripura. She went missing on June 18, 2025, and her father later filed a missing-person complaint with the Shikaripura police. During the investigation, police examined technical evidence, including information indicating that her mobile phone had been switched off on the day she disappeared.
The four arrested persons include the owner of the PG accommodation, another woman who lived in the same building, and two associates. According to the police investigation, the girl had an altercation with one of the accused and was allegedly reprimanded at a nearby beauty parlour. Police said the accused claimed that she subsequently died by suicide in the PG room.
Police allege that, fearing legal consequences, the accused concealed the death and transported the body to the Mavinagundi forest area. Following information obtained during questioning, police took the accused to the location and recovered skeletal remains, including a skull. The remains have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.
Authorities have stressed that the investigation is continuing. Superintendent of Police B. Nikhil said police are examining the available evidence to determine whether the girl died by suicide or was killed. Further legal action will follow after the facts are established.
The case has highlighted the importance of timely investigation in missing-person cases and the need for proper protection and monitoring of vulnerable young people living away from their families.