According to the Kurla police, the body of the boy— later identified as Ajay Muzumdar (10)— was found floating in the river by some residents in the area. They immediately contacted the authorities. “Soon after receiving the information, a team of fire brigade personnel went to the spot and got the body out of the water. The body has been probably lying in the water for days. It was decomposed,” said Senior Police Inspector Vijay Bagwe .

After examining the body, the police could find a phone number in a piece of paper kept in a locket that’s tied to a string around his neck. We traced the identity of the boy after contacting this number, said the police. “Ajay’s father, Avinash, a superintendent with the Excise department, identified the body. Avinash resides with his family at Muktidham society opposite Raheja Hospital in Mahim ,” said Bagwe.

Bagwe said that the autopsy didn’t show any injury marks in Ajay’s body. “We asked Avinash whether he had any suspicion about his son’s death. But he denied having any suspicion,” said Bagwe. As per the statement given by Avinash, Ajay had disappeared many times in the past. Ajay also used to like playing in water and would often venture into water bodies. “We believe that Ajay must have ventured into the waters somewhere at Mahim and drowned,” said Bagwe.