Dhanbad, May 12 (IANS) A youth was brutally murdered by unidentified assailants who allegedly crushed his head with a heavy stone near the Chandmari Yagyashala ground under the Dhansar police station limits in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district.

The blood-soaked body was recovered from bushes behind the ground on Tuesday morning, sending shockwaves across the locality.

The attackers reportedly smashed the victim’s face and head beyond recognition, making identification extremely difficult for police officials and local residents. The gruesome nature of the murder has created panic in the area and sparked anger among people living nearby.

According to police and local sources, morning walkers and residents who had gone near the Yagyashala ground spotted the body lying in the bushes and immediately informed the police. A Pulsar motorcycle was also found abandoned close to the crime scene, which investigators suspect belonged to the deceased youth.

Soon after receiving the information, a team from the Dhansar police station reached the spot and launched a detailed investigation. Senior police officials also visited the area to inspect the crime scene and collect evidence.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the youth may have been murdered elsewhere and the body later dumped in the bushes to destroy evidence and mislead investigators. Police are probing all possible angles, including personal enmity and old disputes.

The identity of the deceased had not been established till the filing of this report. Investigators are trying to ascertain his identity through the registration details of the motorcycle recovered from the spot.

The body has been sent to Shaheed Nirmal Mahto Medical College and Hospital (SNMMCH) for post-mortem examination.

Police officials said CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned and local informers have been activated to trace the accused. Efforts are underway to crack the case at the earliest and arrest those involved in the brutal killing.

–IANS

sn/rad