A 31-year-old man, identified as Neeraj, was murdered in Ismaila village under the Sampla police station. His severed head was found near his body, which was lying in a pool of blood on the premises of the village waterworks.
The crime came to light on Monday when a watchman spotted the body and alerted police. A police team rushed to the spot, and a team from Forensic Science Laboratory was later called to collect evidence.
The motive behind the crime is yet to be ascertained. Police have registered a case on the complaint of Neeraj’s elder brother, Naresh Kumar, who did not name any suspect.
According to sources, Neeraj was unmarried and worked as a daily-wage labourer. He left home last evening but did not return. As news of the incident spread, family members and villagers gathered at the scene in shock.
Sampla DSP Anil Kumar said Neeraj’s body was found on a water tank and his severed head was lying nearby, indicating it had been cut off with a sharp-edged weapon. A liquor bottle was also recovered from the spot, he added.
“A case has been registered against unknown persons. Efforts are underway to ascertain the exact cause of death and identify those involved,” the DSP said.
The police spokesperson said three teams have been formed to investigate the case and apprehend the culprits. “CCTV footage is being analysed to gather clues. Neeraj was a habitual drinker,” he said.
