Bhubaneswar: Ghasipura police in Keonjhar district have launched a probe into the alleged murder of taxi driver Bhagaban Bairiganjan, a resident of Kanas area in Odisha’s Puri district.

A police team led by Ghasipura Inspector In-Charge (IIC) Bikram Bhuyian today reached Malgodown police station in Cuttack city and collected certain information in connection with the case.

The team also recorded the statement of Raj Kishore Biswal, the owner of the taxi, as part of its investigation, sources said.

According to police, Bairiganjan was working as a taxi driver by staying in Cuttack city for the last few years.

Some people had booked Bairiganjan’s Maruti Swift Dzire taxi bearing no. OD 02AA 1962 for a trip to Jajpur Road from College Square in Cuttack June 24.

However, he did not return to Cuttack after dropping the passengers, sources said.

Bairiganjan’s family members lodged a missing complaint with Malgodown police in Cuttack after they failed to contact him over phone.

Bairiganjan’s decomposed body was found near NH-20 at Darakhala under Ghasipura police limits on 28. His taxi was found abandoned on a river embankment in Niali area of Cuttack district the next day, sources added.

Ghasipura police have registered a murder case as per the complaint lodged by Bairiganjan’s family.

Sources, meanwhile, claimed that three persons, including a woman, had hired Bairiganjan’s taxi for a trip to Jajpur Road. The police have collected CCTV footage in this regard, they said.

The police have also collected CCTV footage featuring Bairiganjan’s taxi from two toll gates during its journey to Jajpur Road from Cuttack. However, there was no such footage during the return journey, sources added.

“We are looking into all angles in connection with the murder case. Our team has also visited Govindpur in Niali area of Cuttack to get some clues to the incident,” said a police official.