The body of a woman was found in a lane near her house in Behala’s Jayshree Park early on Thursday, police said.

The woman was found lying face down. Morning walkers, who first spotted the body, didn’t realise that the woman was from their neighbourhood till a police team came and took the body away.

The woman has been identified as Nila Bhattacharya, 45.

The police took her to Vidyasagar Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

The body has been sent for post-mortem amid questions whether she had fallen or someone had hit her.

“There were injury marks on her head and left eye. It is still not clear whether she fell and injured herself or someone hit her with a heavy object,” said a senior police officer. “The post-mortem report will provide some answers.”

Nila lived with her husband and son at their house in Anandapally, near Jayshree Park, in Behala.

Police have learnt that she would regularly step out in the evening, like she did on Wednesday. She had a shawl-like cover on her and was wearing chappals.

When Nila didn’t return, family members looked for her at the places she would usually visit. Not sure what to do next, they were waiting for daybreak. The body was spotted a few metres from her house in the morning.

“There were blood stains on her face, but no injury marks on her arms and legs. There were no marks to suggest there was a scuffle or that she tried to resist someone,” an officer of Behala police station said.

The lane where the body was found is in the middle of a quiet locality on the outskirts of Behala. It has rows of houses on one side and a boundary wall on the other.

The lane is so narrow that it is difficult for a vehicle to pass through.

“It is unlikely she was dumped from any vehicle late at night,” another officer said.

The police have started a case of unnatural death.

Officers said they might add other sections after going through the post-mortem report.