KUANTAN: Since mechanic S. Raju was always on the move and seldom returned home, his family in Sri Jaya, Maran near here assumed he was busy at work.
However, the discovery of his decomposed body floating near a water pump at Tasik Paya Bungor along KM50, Jalan Kuantan-Maran here at 10am today has left them stunned.
The 39-year-old’s bloated body with his hands and legs bound was found floating in the lake by a group of villagers who were earlier involved in a gotong-royong programme at the vicinity. He was believed to have been murdered.
His younger brother, Rajan, 31, said he last met Raju, eldest of 15 siblings, near a car workshop in Sri Jaya on Friday and did not expect it to be the last time they met each other.
“Raju works as a mobile mechanic (freelance) and often travels when customers call him to repair their vehicles. He usually sleeps in his car and keeps all his clothes in the car. He is seldom at home.
“When a friend informed that my brother’s body was found at the lake, I was shocked and immediately rushed to the lake.
“I am surprised why someone has treated him so cruelly. His hand and legs were tied with cloth,” he said when met at the lake where the body was found.
Rajan, who identified his brother based on the clothes that he was wearing and religious string on his wrist, said as far as he was concerned Raju had no enemies and was always seen on his own.
He said since Raju seldom returned home and visited them, they assumed he was busy working somewhere but never expected him to end up dead.
“Raju left us just a week before Deepavali celebrations. I hope police will track down the culprits responsible for his murder,” he said, adding his brother’s Proton Wira car and identification documents were also missing.
In the incident, a body which was fully dressed was found floating at the lake some 10m from the main road about 10am and the victim had been dead for more than 24 hours.
The body was sent to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here for post-mortem which will be conducted tomorrow (Monday).
Meanwhile, Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Noor Yusof Ali said police would be questioning several individuals to help facilitate investigations.
He said the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.