Mangalore : The body of Shivaraj (22) who worked as a mechanic at a car showroom at Kuntikan in Mangalore was found near the railway track at Kodikere, Tokur  on the morning of July 20, Friday. It is suspected that Shivaraj might have been strangulated to death with a rope.

The body also bore several injury marks. Police suspect that he might have been murdered somewhere else and then the assailants might have dumped the body near the railway track.

It is reported that some people who had come by a Maruti Omni had asked  Shivaraj who was working in the showroom till 10.30 am on Thursday to come with them  on the grounds that they wanted him to repair a car. It is learnt, Shivaraj had first gone home in his bike and handed over his wallet to his mother before leaving with the men in the Maruti Omni van.

The suspicion is that the assailants wanted Shivaraj to reveal the whereabouts of his two friends who were suspected in the murder case of notorious rowdy Kabir who was killed in February 2011. However, when Shivaraj who was innocent, turned down their demand, he might have been killed.

The body was first noticed by a member of the Jokatte Panchayat who informed the police. Panambur police are conducting the investigation.