House of Horror: Charred human remains, women’s belongings found in real estate dealer’s property

 

By Sumesh Rajan | August 7, 2025

Alappuzha, Kerala, INDIA: In a bone chilling case that has sent shockwaves across Kerala, police have recovered over 20 pieces of charred human bones, including a skull, thigh bone, tooth, and other skeletal remains, from the property of a 68-year-old real estate dealer, C. M. Sebastian, at Pallippuram near Cherthala in Alappuzha district. The findings were made during an extensive search operation linked to the disappearance of multiple women.

The investigation, which began with the missing case of 65-year-old Jain Mathew alias Jainamma from Ettumanoor in Kottayam district, has now widened to include the suspected murders of two more women: Bindu Padmanabhan, missing since 2006, and Ayesha, who disappeared in 2012.

Police began searching Sebastian’s two-acre property last month and unearthed a burnt skull, a thigh bone, and a clipped tooth. On Monday, the search resumed in nearby areas of the compound, where investigators drained a pond and dug up its base. Additional evidence was recovered, including a women’s handbag, pieces of cloth including a sari fragment, and a section of a rosary.

Authorities also opened an unused septic tank inside the house, though nothing suspicious was found there. The compound, riddled with ponds, slushy areas, and wells, is now under intense scrutiny. A ground-penetrating radar has been deployed to detect more buried remains, and a cadaver dog was brought to assist in the search.

Inside the house, investigators suspect foul play beneath a newly laid granite floor, which may be excavated next. Two unused SIM cards were also recovered from Sebastian’s residence.

Sebastian, currently in police custody, has not confessed to any killings but has admitted to knowing all three women and having financial dealings with them. On Monday August 4, he was brought to the scene around 12:40 pm and interrogated by three different crime branch teams from Kottayam, Alappuzha, and the state headquarters. He reportedly remains tight-lipped about the fate of the missing women.

The case has sparked public outrage, with calls growing louder for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT). An action council that has been campaigning for justice in Bindu Padmanabhan’s case since 2017 has raised questions about whether Sebastian acted alone or had accomplices.

The evidence collected—including bone fragments, women’s belongings, and blood traces—has been sent for forensic DNA testing. Police believe Sebastian may have targeted socially isolated women living alone, and investigators fear more grim revelations are imminent as the search continues.

With the custody period nearing its end, police are racing against time to gather sufficient evidence before presenting the case in court.