The recovery of two skeletons hanging from a tree inside Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve has brought a five-month-old missing persons case back into focus, sending shockwaves through nearby villages and prompting an intensive police investigation. Along with the skeletal remains, investigators found a suicide note wrapped in plastic, clothing, slippers and a mobile phone at the site, strengthening the link to a disappearance reported in September 2025.
Police teams, accompanied by forensic experts and officials from the Forest Department, reached the remote forest location on Thursday after receiving information from locals. The presence of personal belongings near the tree suggested that the individuals had been at the spot for a long time, and the condition of the remains indicated that the deaths were not recent.
Based on preliminary identification using the recovered items and information gathered from residents, the skeletons are believed to be those of 14-year-old Dulari Devi and 20-year-old Akhilesh Yadav. Dulari was a Class 5 student at the time of her disappearance, while Akhilesh had completed his intermediate education. Both had gone missing under unclear circumstances around five months ago.
The case is closely tied to a bitter dispute between the two families that dates back to September. On September 16, Dulari’s father had lodged a complaint accusing Akhilesh of abducting his daughter with the intention of marrying her. Police registered a case against Akhilesh and seven of his family members, but repeated searches and inquiries failed to trace the missing pair.
Tensions escalated further when Akhilesh’s mother later filed a separate complaint alleging assault, deepening the rift between the two families. With no breakthrough for months, the matter remained unresolved until the discovery of the skeletons inside the forest reserve.
Following the recovery of the remains, Akhilesh’s family has levelled serious allegations against Dulari’s father, claiming the deaths were the result of an honour killing and demanding a thorough and impartial investigation. They have rejected the suicide theory and insist that the circumstances point to foul play.
Police officials have said they are keeping all possibilities open, including suicide, murder and honour killing. Forensic teams are continuing to collect evidence from the site, and further clarity is expected after detailed analysis of the suicide note, mobile phone data and forensic reports. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the deaths.
