Charred body of 80-year-old man from Pondy found in Kadapakkam

The deceased was identified as N Govindaraju, a resident of Muthaliyarpet in Puducherry. He was a retired employee of a spinning mill and is survived by three daughters and one son, police said.

When the local residents noticed a body burning and alerted the police. The police officers said that his hands and legs were tied with a metal wire. The people alerted the police around 10 am and cops reached the scene by 11 am. Police found a matchbox and plastic bag near the charred body, which was shifted to the Chengalpattu GH for post-mortem. A plastic sheet and leftovers of a tiffin parcel was found in the spot.

Police said that it looked like a murder as the hands and legs were tied before the body was set on fire.

The investigators had found a small phonebook from the scene and started calling up numbers mentioned in it. One such call was attended by the victim’s son, who said that his father was missing since morning. Govindaraju’s family members were reportedly searching for him since morning.

The victim’s son said the phone book could belong to his father, which he later confirmed it in person to the police. He was also taken to Chengalpattu GH mortuary where he confirmed the police that it was his father’s body.

Police said that it looked like somebody had took the victim in the morning to the spot and murdered. After murdering him, the killers could have set the body on fire. But before the body was completely charred, locals noticed and informed us, police said.

“We confirmed the identity only in the evening. Now we are trying to find out if he had any enemies in Puducherry. We hope to find the killers soon,” Choonambedu police said.