Berhampur, June 30: The body of Prasanna Bhola, 35, an ex-serviceman from Sarapalli village, was found on Gosala-Gudipalli road under Bhanjanagar police station, 90km from here, yesterday. He died under mysterious circumstances.

“We seized the body at night after the brother-in-law of the deceased had lodged a complaint at the Belaguntha outpost. There were burn injuries in his hand and leg and the body was lying on roadside. Some villagers of Sarapalli saw the body and identified it. We are probing into the matter and can say anything about the motive behind the murder only after receiving the post-mortem report,” said sub-divisional police officer of Bhanjanagar Subash Jamadar.

However, police had registered an unnatural death case, he said. The mobile set and some cash of the deceased were missing.

Though Bhanjanagar police said the body had been sent to M.K.C.G. Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem, it did not reach there till afternoon. “We have not yet received the body,” said Dr Sachidananda Mohanty, head of the FMT department.

Some villagers found acid attack as the means of killing. However, others at Sarapalli village said Prasanna and some of his friends were enjoying picnic at Gosala on Gudipalli road. As they were drunk, they might have entered into a brawl and somebody attacked him with the burning firewood.

Family members of the deceased said they were not aware of the motive behind the killing. However, Kumudini Sahu, the deceased’s sister, said Prasanna had gone out carrying Rs 10,000 with him.