The body of a 16-year-old boy, who was missing for the last two days, was found in an empty lift shaft of an under-construction building at Pardi in Valsad district, a short distance from his house, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Atul Yogendra Prasad, a class 9 student. According to the information, Prasad was playing outside his house in Pardi GIDC on November 27.
When he did not return, his parents launched a search operation but could not find him. He then contacted Pardi police station and lodged a missing complaint. On Friday morning, when workers gathered at the under-construction building in the area, they saw something covered under dry branches and leaves in the empty lift shaft.
On removing them they found the body of the teenager and informed the police. The father of the missing boy was informed and identified the body as that of his son. Police said they found multiple injury marks on the body of the deceased, while the possibility of sexual assault has been ruled out.
Police have registered a case of murder against unknown people and have started investigating the matter.
Valsad district superintendent of police Dr Karanraj Vaghela said, “The victim had gone missing two days ago and the body was recovered at a construction site in the shaft area. Bricks were found lying around the dead body.
“At the moment, it is difficult to say anything… We have sent the body for post-mortem to know the exact cause of death. We suspect that the victim might have been pushed from the fourth floor in the shaft area without a lift, and later bricks were thrown at him,” Vaghela said.