In what is suspected to be a murder, the body of a young migrant worker was found under a heap of sand opposite a tile manufacturing unit at Poothrikka near Puthencruz, where he was employed, on Monday morning.
The deceased was identified as Raja Das, 28, of Assam. The police suspect that he might have been bludgeoned to death using a spade in the early hours of the day.
Deepan Kumar Das, a co-worker from West Bengal and a potential suspect, has gone missing. It is suspected that the incident might have taken place between midnight and 6 a.m. The police have recovered the spade suspected to have been used for the crime.
According to the police, the deceased and the suspect were the only outsiders working at the unit, and they used to stay together in a room. The rest of the employees were local women who happened to spot blood when they turned up for work. The blood trail led to the heap of sand and discovery of the body, which was found wrapped in a sack.
The police said both the workers had been employed at the unit for nearly a month, and the employer had not observed anything suspicious about them.
Meanwhile, the police have started surveillance of bus stations and railway stations to track down the suspect. Searches were held at Muvattupuzha and Perumbavoor.
It has emerged that the suspect was seen as early as 6.15 a.m. near the factory premises and later at Kolanchery. Senior officials, including District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K. Karthick, inspected the crime scene.
