Labourer found murdered in Ludhiana hours before he was to leave city

Cops are now questioning the employees of the wool mill where the victim used to work, but so far, they have found nothing suspicious. Police have also learnt that Uday Bhan had been spotted with an unidentified woman on Monday evening.

A factory worker was found murdered at a vacant plot near Gurnam Nagar on Tuesday morning. Police have also found a sharp-edged weapon near the body.

Police investigating the crime spot in Gurnam Nagar in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (HT PHOTO)

The victim has been identified as Uday Bhan Rao, 50, of Gurnam Nagar. He hails from Deoria of Uttar Pradesh and had been living in a rented accommodation with a distant relative here.

Rajesh Kumar, his relative, said that Uday worked at a woolen factory in Ludhiana and had planned to leave the city on Tuesday. He was to leave for Ambala on Tuesday morning and then catch a train to UP.

However, on Monday evening, he went missing. He had left home, stating that he was going for shopping but did not return. On Tuesday morning, Rajesh went to look for him and found his body in the vacant plot and immediately sounded the police.

Salem Tabri station house officer (SHO) Gopal Krishan said that there were injury marks on the victim’s head and chin. The police have also found Rs 1,800 in the victim’s pocket, besides a packet of detergent, dry fruits and tobacco near the body. Police suspect that an old rivalry may have been the reason behind the murder.

A case of murder has been registered against unidentified persons and police are scanning closed-circuit television cameras in the area to find more clues.