Cuttack, Dec.15: A Congress leader died under mysterious circumstances last night with his family members suspecting foul play.

The deceased, Sanjit Bhuyan, 40, was found in an unconscious state near the Ramadevi Children's Park on Ring Road in Purighat police limits late last night.

Bhuyan was general secretary of the Cuttack Nagar Congress Committee. His family members alleged he was murdered and the body bore injury marks at several places. Around 10.30pm yesterday, a few youths saw Bhuyan lying unconscious and rushed him to SCB Medical College and Hospital. Later, Bhuyan was taken to a private hospital by his family members where the doctors declared him dead.

Although police suspect Bhuyan died in a road accident, his family does not believe this. "There are severe wounds on his head, neck and other parts of the body. We suspect he was attacked by someone when he was riding his motorcycle," said a relative of the deceased, Santosh Rout.

"We got information about the incident around 11pm and rushed him to the hospital. Bhuyan was murdered," Rout said.

Apart from holding a key post in the Congress party, Bhuyan was a businessman and ran a flourmill near his house at Jhanjirmanagala.

"Prima facie it appears to be a road accident. But, based on the allegations of the family, we have asked a team of doctors for the autopsy which has been photographed," said deputy commissioner of police Sanjeev Arora.