Ranchi, Jan. 2: A body was found inside a charred car at Side IV of Sector II in HEC Township under Jagannathpur police station area this morning. The body was burnt beyond recognition.

The car was a Ford Icon bearing the numberplate JH-01L 0007. The owner of the car has been identified as Santosh Singh, the district vice-president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), who had been missing since last evening. Singh is a resident of Sadabahar Chowk in Namkum.

The help of forensic experts was taken to identify the body, as the police could not ascertain whether the deceased was the car owner himself or someone else or whether a male or female.

The police are also trying to find out whether the incident was an accident or an example of cold-blooded murder.

Senior superintendent of police Sampat Meena refused to divulge any details. “We have registered an FIR and are trying to establish the identity of the deceased. We are considering all angles.”

Local residents were also tightlipped. “I heard an explosion around 1am last night. I did not bother to check as I thought that someone was bursting crackers to celebrate New Year. But when I got up early in the morning, some morning walkers told me that a burnt car has been found with a body inside it in our locality,” a resident said, requesting anonymity.

Sources said Singh was associated with property dealings and had repurchased his auctioned car on December 31 from one Ajit Singh, a resident of Dhurwa.

“The loan recovery unit of the HDFC Bank had auctioned the car after Singh defaulted on the EMIs. But Singh repurchased the car from the person to whom it was sold ,” a close friend of Singh told The Telegraph.

Officer-in-charge of Namkhum police station Mani Bhusan Prasad said Singh had a criminal background and was awarded life by the lower court after being found guilty of killing one Ram Nageena Singh near Namkhum post office in 2004.

“After he was released on bail from the high court, he expanded his business in land dealings and contractual work,” Prasad said.

The place, where the burnt car was found, is close to SAIL City, a new residential area being developed, and New Pundag, another residential locality. Local residents said the place is unsafe after sunset.

“Last year, a bag containing a body was recovered from the place. Residents had demanded for a police picket in the area. But nothing has been done,” a resident said.