Berhampur: Body of a 60-year-old cook, missing since Wednesday evening, was found by police and fire personnel stuffed in a sack dumped in a water body in Paralakhemundi town, police said Friday.
The deceased, identified as Krushna Chandra Panda, worked at a local hotel.
“During the search operation, we found the body packed in a sack in the water body,” said Prasant Bhupati, IIC of Paralakhemundi police station. Authorities believe Panda was killed on Wednesday and his body dumped in Sita Sagar.
According to police, Panda was last seen heading to a neighbour’s house on Wednesday evening. Sources said the house is now locked, and its occupants are on the run, raising suspicion of their involvement in the crime.
“We have registered a murder case based on an FIR lodged by the deceased’s son, Santosh Panda. We are currently searching for those on the run. Their role in the murder will be determined after questioning,” Bhupati said.
Santosh informed the police that he was unaware why his father visited the neighbour’s house. Initially registered as a missing person’s case on Thursday, the complaint was turned into a murder following the body’s discovery.