Man's body found stuffed in drum; wife, children missing

The body of a man was found stuffed in a drum on the rooftop of a house in the Khairthal-Tijara district of Rajasthan, police said on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Hansram alias Suraj, a native of the Shahjahanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, who lived in Adarsh Colony of Kishangarhbas with his wife and three children, DSP Rajendra Singh Nirwan said.

The body, bearing a throat injury inflicted with a sharp weapon, was discovered after neighbours complained of a foul smell.

"Salt had been put over the body to speed up decomposition," Nirwan said.

Hansram had been living in a rented rooftop room for the past one-and-a-half months and worked at a brick kiln. His wife Sunita, their three children, and the landlord's son Jitendra have been missing since Saturday, police said.

"The deceased was addicted to liquor and often drank with Jitendra. Since Saturday evening, both Jitendra and Hansram's family have been untraceable," the DSP added.

Police have launched a search for the missing persons. The body has been sent for post-mortem and a case has been registered.