Police have recovered five unidentified bodies that washed ashore along the Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf coast over the past two days, triggering concern among local residents and prompting an extensive investigation.

The recovered remains include a human skeleton, three partially decomposed bodies and a mutilated body missing its head and both legs below the waist, which was found at Sugandha Point on Cox’s Bazar beach.

Law enforcement officials said efforts are underway to establish the identities of the deceased and determine the causes of their deaths.

On Friday morning, a human skeleton was found floating in the tidal waters near Kochubunia-Katabunia, adjacent to Shahpari Island in Sabrang Union of Teknaf upazila. Local residents alerted police after spotting the remains.

Police recovered the skeleton and completed the inquest report.

Sub-Inspector Sanjib of Shahpari Island Police Outpost said the remains appeared to have been in the sea for several days.

“The body had decomposed completely into a skeleton after remaining in seawater for a long time. Legal procedures are underway to determine the victim’s identity and the cause of death,” he said.

A day earlier, on Thursday, police recovered three unidentified partially decomposed bodies from three separate locations in Teknaf.

Officer-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam of Teknaf Model Police Station said one body was recovered from St Martin’s Island beach at noon, another from Shahpari Island beach in the afternoon and the third from Rajarchhara beach in Teknaf Sadar Union in the evening.

One of the victims was a woman. All three bodies have been sent to the Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem examinations.

Later that night, at around 9:30pm, another body was found floating in the tide near Sugandha Point on Cox’s Bazar beach.

Beach worker Khorshed Alam first spotted the body and informed police. A team led by Sub-Inspector Sarwar of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station recovered the remains.

Police said the body had been severed from the head and both legs below the waist and was severely decomposed after prolonged exposure to seawater, making it impossible to immediately determine whether the victim was male or female.

Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Mohammad Ali of Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station said the investigation was continuing.

“The identity of the deceased and the actual cause of death are being investigated. The post-mortem report will provide a clearer picture,” he said.