Seraikela (Jharkhand), Aug 22 (PTI) Police on Saturday recovered the bodies of two youths who had been missing since August 13 from a forest area within Kandra police station limits in Jharkhand’s Seraikela-Kharswan district, an officer said.
The bodies, buried near Rapcha football ground, were dug out in the presence of a magistrate, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (Seraikela) Anubhav Bhardwaj said.
They have been identified as Rahul Hansda and Tapan Pradhan, both in their early 20s.
The families of the victims had lodged a missing report at Kandra police station on August 20 after failing to trace them and expressed apprehension that they had been abducted and killed.
Police detained two suspects, Ravindra Mardi and Phulchand Hansda, for questioning on Friday, the officer said.
Based on information provided by them, police launched a search operation in the forest area on Saturday and recovered the bodies.
The bodies were sent to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination, police said.
Kandra police station officer-in-charge Vinod Kumar Murmu said preliminary investigation suggested that the incident was linked to the alleged theft of a mobile phone.
“The duo had collapsed after they were badly thrashed,” he said.
Apprehending arrest, the accused allegedly buried the bodies to conceal evidence, the officer said.
A search is on to apprehend other persons whose names have emerged during the investigation and who are currently absconding, police said. PTI BS MNB
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