The deceased Boopalan, 24, a MA graduate, from Nallannampatty Kaattu Valavu in Irumpalai area was attending coaching for Group I exam. “He left the house on Friday informing his parents of going out on some personal work. Thereafter, Boopalan didn’t return home,” police said. Following a futile search, Boopalan’s father Selvam lodged a missing complaint at the Magudanchavadi police station. A case was registered and special teams were looking out for the missing youth.

Meanwhile, acting on information, the police found the missing youth dead in a car parked along the roadside near a temple late on Saturday night. Preliminary examination revealed that Boopalan was strangulated to death, while his mouth and face were found taped.

Police suspect that the youth was murdered elsewhere and his body left in the abandoned car. The retrieved body has been sent for a post mortem at Salem Government Hospital.

Special teams of police have secured three youth and preliminary inquiries with them revealed that the murder was executed in connection with some property issue. In another incident, a 40-year-old man was found dead with injuries on head near his house in Omalur on Sunday morning. The deceased Sundaravel was working as a tractor driver in a brick-kiln unit in Tholasampatti area. He was a drunkard and used to quarrel frequently with his wife. The Tholasampatti police have registered a case and a probe is on to know the motive behind his murder.