A man’s decomposed body was found in a drum on the first floor of his rented home in Alwar, Rajasthan, police said on Sunday, evoking memories of a similar case in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, where a man was discovered buried in a blue drum.
The incident took place in Adarsh Colony, Tijara district.
The landlord, an elderly woman, had visited the first floor for some work but had to leave because of a foul odor. On returning, she alerted the police.
The deceased, identified as Hansraj, was a native of Uttar Pradesh and worked at a brick kiln. Police said his wife and three children have been missing since the incident.
A stone was found on top of the blue drum, apparently to contain the smell.
Photos from the terrace showed a plainclothes policeman, with his face covered by a handkerchief, removing the stone and opening the lid. He then pulled out a bedsheet and inspected the contents inside.
“There was a report of a foul smell coming from a house in Adarsh Colony. When the police reached the spot, they found the body of a young man in a blue drum on the roof of the house. The victim has been identified as Hansraj, also known as Suraj,” said Rajesh Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police.
“The victim, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, worked at a brick kiln in the Kishangarh Bas area. He had rented the house about one and a half months ago and lived there with his wife and three children. Since the incident, his wife and children have been missing. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory is also at the scene, and the police are collecting evidence,” the officer added.
It is not yet known how long the body had been in the drum or the motive behind the murder, police said.
Authorities are also trying to get in touch with the victim’s family members.In March this year, a man was allegedly murdered in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, by his wife and her lover. They reportedly dismembered the body and buried the pieces in a drum under wet cement. The crime came to light after the couple’s daughter repeatedly told neighbors, “Papa drum mein hain” (Dad is in the drum). (Agencies)
