Chandigarh: A 31-year-old taxi driver was found dead near a road in Chandigarh’s Sector 38 on Saturday morning, with knife wounds reported on his body. The Maloya police have registered the case as a suspected murder and launched an investigation.
The deceased has been identified as Vijay Kumar, a resident of Kurali in Mohali. He was married and had two children. Vijay used to drive a taxi on a rental basis.
Police cordoned off the area after receiving information about the body and called a forensic team to examine the crime scene. The body was sent to the mortuary at Sector 16 Hospital, and Vijay’s family was informed.
Vijay Left Kharar In Taxi On Friday Morning
According to the police, Vijay left Kharar in the taxi at around 10:30 AM on Friday. Investigators are currently trying to establish where he went after that and who may have accompanied him.
The taxi reportedly belonged to Pradeep, a resident of Lohaa village. Vijay had taken the vehicle on rent and allegedly paid around ₹700 per day.
At around 12:20 AM on Friday night, the taxi was found parked in Sector 56. No one was present near the vehicle at the time. Police took the taxi into custody and began checking for clues about Vijay’s whereabouts.
When information about Vijay could not be established, police launched a search operation.
Knife Wounds Found On Body; Police Probe Murder Angle
Early Saturday morning, the police control room received information about a body lying near a road in Sector 38.
Maloya SHO Inspector Baldev Kumar reached the spot with a police team. The crime scene was also videographed and a forensic team was called in for examination.
Police found knife wounds on Vijay’s body. Based on the preliminary findings, investigators are treating the case as a murder. However, the exact motive and the identities of those involved are yet to be established.
Police have recorded the statement of taxi owner Pradeep and are questioning people associated with the vehicle and the deceased.
Investigators are trying to determine whom Vijay was in contact with after leaving Kharar and who may have seen him last.
CCTV Footage From Kharar To Chandigarh Under Scanner
CCTV footage is being examined as a key part of the investigation. Police are checking cameras installed around Sector 38 as well as footage from the route between Kharar and Chandigarh.
Investigators are trying to establish whether another person was travelling with Vijay in the taxi. They are also examining how the vehicle reached Sector 56 and who parked it there.
A key point in the investigation is the distance between the locations where the taxi and Vijay’s body were found. While the taxi was recovered from Sector 56, the body was discovered near Sector 38.
Police are now attempting to reconstruct Vijay’s final movements through CCTV footage and other evidence, while also working to identify the person who left the taxi in Sector 56.