The police, initially suspecting that the trunk could be full of explosives, pressed the bomb squad into action. The entire area was cordoned off after the police discovered the body from the trunk.

Senior police officers, including Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill and Superintendent of Police (City I) Harsh Bansal also reached the spot. The trunk was opened only after the bomb squad reported that there were no explosives.

Maninder Bedi, SHO Division No. 8, who spotted the trunk, said: “We were patrolling the area in the evening when we found the trunk. The body has been sent to a mortuary for identification. If nobody comes to claim it within 72 hours, doctors will conduct a post-mortem.”

“The victim seems to be around 45 years of age and is a immigrant. There are some tattoos on her neck and arms. The body also has three injury marks on the head, likely to have been inflicted by some sharp-edged weapon,” Bedi said, adding that pictures of the victim have been shown around in areas inhabited by immigrants. The Kichloo Nagar Residents’ Association, meanwhile, has written to the district police chief reminding him of an earlier communication urging him to take action against increasing criminal activities in the area.