The mystery surrounding grave no. 38 at the cemetery of Infant Jesus Church, Vaniyappara, was cleared on Wednesday after the police opened the grave and found that no unrecorded third body had been buried there.

The police said the inspection confirmed that the grave contained only the remains of the two persons officially recorded as buried there. The remains recovered from the grave would be subjected to DNA test.

The grave was opened following suspicion over a body-like object wrapped in a mat found under mysterious circumstances inside it, leading to concerns that an unidentified body might have been buried there.

The grave was opened in the presence of a large police contingent, forensic officials, police surgeon, and the church authorities.

According to the police, the coffin found in the grave belonged to James Koombukal, who was buried in 2015, while the mat seen in the grave was linked to Mariyam, who had been buried there in 2006.

Parish vicar Fr. Gilbert Konnayil said the church had maintained from the beginning that only two persons had been buried in the grave. The police inspection now confirmed that, he said.