A young zari trader who had been missing for two days was found dead on Thursday morning, his mutilated body bundled into a sack and dumped by the roadside near his house.

Police suspect Sheikh Aslam, 22, was murdered either out of jealousy in love or because of rivalry in business.

Four youths of Nodakhali, off Taratala, were picked up for interrogation on the basis of an FIR filed by Aslam’s family on Tuesday. All four are in the same business and of the same age as the victim.

“After interrogating the youths, we came to know that Aslam had an affair with a Behala girl who was also seeing another youth known to him. This may have caused rivalry between the two friends, leading to the murder. Some time ago, Aslam had received threat calls. We are looking up the recent call records of his cellphone,” said one of the investigators.

The police said Aslam was probably strangled and attacked with a sharp weapon. There were several cut marks on his body.