The charred body of a timber merchant who was set ablaze after being shot at twice was found in C-Sector Barkheda under Govindpura police station area on Monday.
On Tuesday, the relatives of the victim protested the murder and blocked the roads by keeping the body at Koh-e-Fiza. They were demanding compensation and arrest of the miscreants.
According to the police, at around 8 pm body of a man in the age group of 30 years was found at C-Sector. The short post-mortem report of the body is still awaited, but the forensic experts claimed that the body bore bullet penetration marks in the head and the left armpit. The investigation conducted so far also suggested that the body was set afire by pouring diesel.
After the preliminary investigation the identity of the deceased was established as Manish Datani of Panchvati Colony. Manish is believed to have been killed at somewhere else and was set ablaze at the spot.
Police suspect that the sole motive of firing was to kill the victim as the killers after firing two bullets tried to burn the body. Mobile phone, cash and other valuables were not disturbed and were recovered from his car. His car was recovered from Kasturba Nagar in which blood stains were found. Miscreants opened fire at him in his car at Kasturba Nagar and brought him to C-Sector Barkheda where he was set afire, police opined.
The locals who spotted the burning body informed the police. Manish owns plywood shops at MP Nagar and Bharat Talkies areas. On Monday, he had left in his car after instructing his employees to close shop as he would return late in the night.
Out of two bullets injuries one of the bullets hit him in his head while other one hit him in his stomach. The police have registered a case under section 302 of the IPC and have started further investigation.