Nokia Phone Helps Identify Skeleton in Hyderabad, Solving 10-Year-Old Death Mystery

A skeleton found in a vacant house in the Nampally area of Hyderabad has been identified. Police said on Tuesday that the remains appear to belong to a man named Amir Khan, who is believed to have died around 10 years ago. The skeleton was discovered on Monday by a person who had entered the abandoned house while searching for a ball. A video of the discovery was later recorded by locals. The skeleton was found lying face down, in what appeared to be a kitchen, as utensils were spotted nearby.

Police stated on Tuesday that the skeleton found in the deserted house in Nampally is believed to be that of Amir Khan. The house belonged to a man named Munir Khan, who had ten children. Amir, his third son, lived alone in that house, while the other children had moved elsewhere. According to the police, a Nokia mobile phone and some old, torn currency notes were also recovered from the site.

84 Missed Calls on the Phone

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kishan Kumar said that the phone’s battery was completely dead. After repairing the phone, investigators were able to identify the skeleton as Amir’s. The phone log showed the last call was made in 2015, and there were 84 missed calls recorded. ACP Kumar said, "The man was around 50 years old, unmarried, and possibly mentally unstable. He appears to have died nearly 10 years ago. The bones of the skeleton had started to disintegrate."

Old Currency Found Under Pillow

Kumar also mentioned that no signs of struggle or blood were found at the scene, suggesting a natural death. He added that it seemed none of Amir’s siblings or acquaintances had checked on him for years. In addition to the mobile phone, demonetized currency notes were found under the pillow, supporting the theory that he died before the 2016 demonetization. ACP said Amir’s younger brother, Shadab—who collects rent from nearby shops—identified the ring and shorts found on the remains. However, to confirm the identity, the skeletal remains have been sent to a forensic lab for further analysis.