Headless body of missing 24-year-old from Virar found in hills

Through the cell phone found in the pocket of his trousers, the victim has been identified as Adarsh Pandey. He was reported missing since January 29

Mumbai A partially decomposed headless body, with left leg missing, of a 24-year-old man was found on a hill near Papad Khind pond – a few meters away from the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway — early on Thursday, said Virar police.

Twenty four-year-old Adarsh Pandey’s headless body was found on a hill near Papad Khind pond in Virar. (HT PHOTO)

During their search operation later in the day, the police found the severed head at some distance from the body. Police said they are yet to ascertain if the head was bitten off by an animal or the victim was beheaded by somebody.

Through the cell phone found in the pocket of his trousers, the victim has been identified as Adarsh Pandey. He was reported missing since January 29. Also known as Vicky, he lived in Phoolpada, Virar East. The locality is not far from the spot where the body was found, said police.

According to the police, they are yet to ascertain how Pandey died and his head severed. Police officials said some of the flesh from the torso of the deceased appears to have been eaten by wild animals.

On reaching the spot, the police recovered the remains and found his mobile handset in the pocket of his trousers. “The family members of the victim identified the body through the mobile phone and clothes worn by him,” said the officer.

Police officers said that on investigation, they found that Pandey had been missing since January 29. His parents had lodged a missing person report at the Virar police station after he failed to show up from work and his mobile phone was switched off.

The officers said that the body was partially decomposed, and they were unable to immediately ascertain as to how he died, as many of his body parts were apparently eaten by wild animals.

“We have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and sent his body for post-mortem,” said the police officer, adding that, they are talking to the family of the deceased to find out whether he had a fight with someone or his girlfriend etc.

“Along with the fire brigade, we have launched a search operation, to find the missing head and other body parts, in the hills and the nearby pond,” said the officer.