Patna: Bypass police on Monday morning recovered the body of a former Bihar Military Police (BMP) jawan from a sports utility vehicle (SUV) they intercepted at Karmalichak.

A team was on night patrol on the national highway when they intercepted the SUV. The driver and another person were in the car but fled on seeing the police. Peeking inside, the personnel found the body which on investigation they found was Niranjan Kumar, a former BMP jawan. The SUV was later discovered as his.

Bypass police station house officer Rajendra Prasad said: "We have come to know that the deceased is former BMP jawan Niranjan Kumar. He was removed a few years ago on murder charges and since then had been living in the Phulwari area."

Officers claimed prima facie Niranjan was strangled to death as they found marks on his neck. The exact reason can be ascertained after the post-mortem report is received.

The police handed over the body to Niranjan's family members after conducting the post-mortem.

Sources said although Niranjan was from Naubatpur village, he hardly visited home and was not on good terms with his family members.

Few months ago, he had purchased the SUV on selling a plot of land in Naubatpur. The police suspect dispute over ancestral property led to the murder.