Cuttack, June 14: Police today ruled out suicide behind the mysterious death of a home guard, whose bullet-ridden body was found from Satabati in Jagatpur police limits yesterday.

Though a country-made gun was found near the body, senior police officials said a murder case had been registered based on the complaint filed by the family members of Kirti Ranjan Masanta, the deceased.

The police suspect that the murderers placed the weapon there to mislead the police and make them think it was a suicide. The body was found from the Mahanadi riverbed near Paschimagachi, about a kilometre from Kirti Ranjan's residence.

The body has a bullet injury mark on the neck and another on the back of his head.

"We suspect it to be a case of a pre-planned murder. The body has been sent for autopsy and we hope to crack the case shortly," said police commissioner Y.B. Khurania. Two special teams have been formed to carry out the probe.

A suspected Al-Qaeda operative, Abdur Rehman, was also arrested from Paschimagacha village in Jagatpur police limits in December last year.

The spot from where Masanta's body has been recovered was allegedly used by Rehman for training young students undergoing education at his Tangi-based madrassa.

"My brother reached home at 8.30pm and had immediately left. Though we tried to contact him all night, his phone was switched off," said Jyoti Masanta, brother of the deceased.

Masant had been posted at Jagatpur police station for the past five years and his family has ruled out any personal enmity behind the killing.