Police recovered the body of a young man from Nayan Castings on Saturday night. Initially, they assumed it to belong to Vimal Ramani, 22, owner of Nayan Castings, who has been missing since Saturday evening. Investigation revealed that the youth was first stabbed and then strangulated, and later the body set ablaze to destroy all evidence.

Later, police ruled out that the body as that of Ramani in the absence three things he always carried on his person -- a gold chain, a bracelet and a mobile. Meanwhile, police also received a complaint that a young labourer Babu Salat (19), hired by Ramani on Saturday, had not returned home. Adding to the mystery was a woman, who reportedly had an affair with Ramani and has been missing since last month.

Police said, “Though the last rites were performed by the Ramani family, preliminary investigations reveal that the body might not be Ramani's. “We are yet to establish the identity of the deceased, and are awaiting the DNA reports,” said Commissioner of Police Sudhir Sinha.

Bhaktinagar Police said Ramani got married last month and reportedly had an affair with a married woman in the neighbourhood at Purusharth Society.

"The body appeared more like that of a labourer and not like that of Ramani," said Sinha. He said Babu Salat's father has identified Ramani, who had asked his son to work at the factory.