Jodhpur, Oct 27 (IANS) An incident of murder has been reported from the Mata Ka Than Police Station area of Jodhpur city, an official said on Monday, adding that the deceased was identified as a 20-year-old youth whose family migrated from Pakistan about two decades ago.

Vijay Kumar, a resident of Mahadev Nagar, was found dead under suspicious circumstances inside his house on Monday morning. According to police, the young man’s mouth had been stuffed with a cloth, and his hands and legs were tied behind his back with a rope.

Preliminary investigation suggests the crime took place on Sunday night when Vijay was alone at home.

Officials suspect the involvement of close relatives or someone known to the victim. ADCP East Virendra Singh, ACP Mandore Nagendra Kumar, and the FSL team reached the spot and collected evidence.

Police said Vijay worked as a car mechanic and usually returned home at around 10 p.m.

However, on Sunday, he came home unusually early at 8 p.m. When he did not respond to phone calls the next morning, his relatives and neighbours went to check on him and discovered his body inside the house.

Neighbour Kanhaiyalal told police that Vijay’s family had migrated from Pakistan about 20 years ago and had since obtained Indian citizenship. The family was currently in Phalodi, while Vijay lived alone.

He added that there were signs of dragging and a struggle inside the house, indicating that Vijay had tried to fight off his attackers.

When relatives couldn’t reach him over the phone, a neighbour visited the house and found the family’s dog outside while the horrific scene was discovered inside. Police have shifted the body to the mortuary of Mahatma Gandhi Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Officials said that the limited number of CCTV cameras in the area has made the investigation challenging. The case has gained added sensitivity as the deceased was recently engaged.

Police have begun questioning family members, relatives and acquaintances to identify the suspects and uncover the motive behind the murder.

–IANS

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