ALOR GAJAH: Police here are still trying to determine the victim’s gender and cause of death in a murder investigation involving skeletal remains found in a cement-filled barrel near the Durian Tunggal Dam reserve in Machap Baru.
It was learned that clothing, including a sarong, shirt and trousers, were also found with the remains.
Alor Gajah OCPD Supt Ahmad Abu Bakar said preliminary findings from the post-mortem examination, which entered its second day yesterday, confirmed that the bones and skull were human.
“However, the victim’s sex and cause of death have yet to be determined, and we are awaiting the outcome of the ongoing post-mortem examination.
“The case has been classified as murder and is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code,” he said yesterday.
The remains were discovered at about 11.40am on Sunday after three anglers became suspicious of a blue barrel found near the dam, about 15m below road level.
The anglers cut open a small section of the barrel to inspect its contents and noticed objects believed to be bones before alerting the police.
Initial inspection found cement covering the upper section of the barrel, while the skull was detached from the rest of the remains. No tissue was found attached to the bones.
Firefighters helped hoist the barrel onto the road before it was taken to Melaka Hospital for further examination and a post-mortem.
