Baripada: After missing for over three months, the decomposed body of a lawyer was recovered along with his vehicle from a pond in Jharpokharia in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district today. The deceased, identified as Gulesh Gocchayat (42), a resident of Thulukchatani village in Bisoi, had been untraceable since September 11. Prelimiary probe had revealed that he had gone to drop a friend in West Bengal. The exact reason behind his death is not established yet.

Locals spotted a partially submerged vehicle in the pond alonside a road at Silphodi in Uparbeda village early in the morning and informed the police. Along with Saraskana fire services, which also arrived at the spot, the villagers roped in and helped pull out the car from the water body. They found the decomposed body of Gulesh inside the car after retrieving the four-wheeler. 

The lawyer had been missing since September

As per reports, Gulesh had been missing since September. His wife had filed a missing complaint with Bisoi police after the family was unable to get in touch with him for days. The latter had claimed that Gulesh had told them he was going to Baharagora in Jharkhand for some work. 

When they called him, he informed them that he had gone to Kharagpur and will come home by night. When he did not return and his mobile phone was switched off, his wife suspected foul play and reported the matter to the police. 

Acting on her complaint, police had registered a case and started investigation. 

Commenting on the case, official sources said circumstances leading to his death are being investigated. Further probe will reveal whether it was an accident, suicide or murder.

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