Sambalpur, Nov 25: Police recovered the body of a Bidi company owner Lalit Kumar Patel, 35, who had been missing since Tuesday, from a tank in Rengali on Thursday.
The body was found stuffed in a gunny bag and dumped in the water body at Purunabasti under Rengali police limits. IIC of Rengali police station Dolamani Bhoi said injury marks have been found on the body of the deceased. The body has been sent for autopsy and a murder case registered.
Police said Lalit had come out of his house in the afternoon on Tuesday. However, an employee of the factory, Deepak came to his house late in the evening on Tuesday and told Lalit’s wife Gayatriben Patel that Lalit had sent him to take Rs 40,000 from her, police said. Police added Deepak also told Gayatri that Lalit was busy with three traders. Gayatri dialed Lalit’s number to ask whether she would give the money to Deepak. Though the mobile rang, Lalit did not receive the call. Deepak convinced Gayatri that Lalit might be busy and took the money from her. After sometime, Gayatri again dialed Lalit’s mobile number. When she did not get any response Gayatri told everything to Lalit’s elder brother Binod. Binod and his friends searched for Lalit. When they did not find him, they lodged a complaint in the Rengali police station on Tuesday night.
Police suspect involvement of Deepak of Rairakhol in the murder. Police said Deepak had joined the factory around six days ago and is on the run since the incident.
