50yo cremation ground caretaker missing; wild animal attack suspected

Meerut: A 50-year-old sevadaar (caretaker) at a cremation ground in Bulandshahr, who had been living at the site for the past 10–12 years and was commonly known as "Binnami Baba", has been missing for the last two days, police said on Tuesday."A search operation around the cremation site and the nearby riverbank has yielded no trace of him so far," Bulandshahr SSP Dinesh Kumar said.Police said suspicion of a possible wild animal attack has emerged after bloodstains were found inside the sevadaar's room and footprints resembling those of a wild animal were noticed near the spot.The missing man, identified as Binnami, a resident of Jadoul village in the Atrauli area of Aligarh district, had been staying in a small room at the cremation ground for the past 10–12 years. He used to look after the cleanliness and upkeep of the site and sustained himself through donations collected from the local market.Locals noticed bloodstains inside Binnami's room at the cremation ground, prompting police to report him missing on Monday evening.A pet dog found near the spot was also lying unconscious, raising further suspicion. As the news spread, villagers gathered at the site and informed the police, expressing fears of Binnami's possible murder.On Tuesday, police personnel conducted a search operation around the cremation ground and along the banks of the Kali river, but the missing man could not be located.Forest range officer Aditya Singh visited the spot with his team and examined the footprints and other clues. He said the matter is being investigated to determine whether a wild animal was involved.