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J&K BJP leader’s body found hanging from tree in Kathua
A villager saw the body of BJP leader Som Raj hanging from a tree in Hiranagar town in Kathua district and informed the police, the officials said, adding that the body had blood stains.
The body of a missing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader was found hanging from a tree in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Tuesday, officials said.
Police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the incident.
A villager saw the body of Som Raj hanging from a tree in Hiranagar town in the morning and informed the police, the officials said, adding that the body had blood stains.
According to the officials, Raj was missing for the past three days but the family did not register a complaint.
Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Kathua, RC Kotwal told reporters that an SIT, led by a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), has been constituted to probe into the death of the BJP leader.
He said investigation has started under Section 174 (police to enquire and report on suicide) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the post-mortem exam of the body has been conducted. “Results are awaited,” he added.
“Deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing away of our old colleague and senior BJP leader Shri Som Raj (Soma) in Hiranagar, District #Kathua . May God rest his soul,” Union minister Jitendra Singh said in a post on Twitter.
A person named by the deceased’s family members in connection with the incident will be questioned, the SSP said.
Raj’s body was handed over to his family and it was cremated, the police said.
The family alleged that he was murdered and demanded that the government provide justice to them.
