New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) The death of national para-athlete Chirag Tyagi has sent shockwaves through the sporting community and residents of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, after his body was found under suspicious circumstances in Sai Upvan, located in the Kotwali police station area of the city.

Police recovered the body on Saturday evening and have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of death. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, officials said.

According to police, Tyagi had left his hostel in Delhi for his native village, Basantpur Senthli in the Muradnagar area of Ghaziabad. However, later in the day, his body was discovered in Sai Upvan. The police received information about the incident, following which local police and forensic experts rushed to the spot to collect evidence.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Dhaval Jaiswal said on Sunday, “Today in the Kotwali police station area, around 3 p.m., police received information that a body of a person was found lying in the Sai Kunj area. The police immediately reached the spot. The body has been sent to the hospital for necessary legal procedures and post-mortem action. The deceased has been identified as Chirag Tyagi, who is a para-athlete. Prima facie, the case appears to be a murder…”

Kotwali Station House Officer Sachin Kumar said preliminary examination revealed an injury resembling a puncture wound on Tyagi’s back. Investigators are trying to determine whether the wound was caused by a firearm, a sharp-edged weapon, or another object.

Sources associated with the investigation said additional injuries were reportedly noticed on the athlete’s body. However, officials stressed that the nature of the injuries and the exact cause of death can only be confirmed after the post-mortem report is received.

The incident has triggered widespread concern among athletes and sports administrators, as Tyagi was regarded as one of India’s promising para-athletics talents. A resident of Basantpur Senthli village in Muradnagar, he was the only child of his parents and had been steadily building a reputation on the national circuit.

Tyagi was undergoing training and residing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium facility in Delhi, where he had access to specialised coaching and accommodation. He recently achieved a significant milestone by winning a gold medal in the 400-metre event at a national-level competition held in Bengaluru.

His sporting career was on an upward trajectory, and he had also qualified for the upcoming Asian Para Games scheduled to be held in Japan in October, making his untimely death all the more tragic for the para-sports fraternity.

Police said forensic evidence from the scene is being analysed and statements of people connected to the athlete are being recorded. Investigators are examining his movements before his death and reviewing all available leads to determine whether any criminal act was involved.

–IANS

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