Jajpur: Police detained 3 persons after decomposed body of a 22-year-old worker, Silu Pradhan, was found buried in a ditch inside the premises of Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) steel plant at Kalinganagar in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
A native of Dhenkanal, he was last seen entering the plant at 10.03 am on Wednesday as per security records. He was working as a machine helper in the bleaching unit of the plant. His parents filed a missing person’s complaint on Friday when he did not return home and frantic searches availed no results, sources said.
The body was retrieved from under the bleaching unit of NINL in presence of his family members on Friday night. While police have registered a case under Sections 103 (murder) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of BNS, the body has been sent to the district government hospital here for postmortem.
“The victim’s naked body was found with hands and legs bound. We suspect it to be a case of murder. A scientific team and sniffer dogs have been deployed to assist in the investigation. We are waiting for the postmortem report to know the exact cause of his death,” said IIC of Kalinganagar police station, Prakash Chandra Sahoo.
The NINL, in a statement, said that Pradhan was working with Satyam Enterprises, a vendor partner. “The police are investigating to determine the circumstances of his death. He was a native of Kalunigoda village, Dhenkanal district. His family was notified immediately upon his disappearance and our team is in constant contact with them. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. As a responsible corporate entity, we are committed to the safety and well-being of our workforce,” it added.
The contractor will be providing Rs 15 lakh compensation to the next of the kin of the deceased and offer employment to a family member, sources said.