The body of an unidentified woman aged about 20–25 was found in a rainwater drain near Airport Road in Zirakpur, triggering panic in the area.
Panic gripped the busy Airport Road area near H-Block in Zirakpur on Friday afternoon after the body of an unidentified young woman was recovered from a rainwater drain, police said.
A large crowd gathered at the spot soon after the news spread.
Upon receiving information, local police and forensic teams reached the spot and began investigations.
The body was sent to the Dera Bassi Civil Hospital mortuary, where it would be kept for 72 hours for identification, police said
Police sources said a passerby noticed a suspicious object in the drainage channel by the Airport road on Friday afternoon and alerted the police on 112. Acting swiftly, Zirakpur police reached the spot and retrieved the body from the drain.
Police said preliminary investigation suggests the woman was around 20 to 25 years old.
Police said the condition of the body indicates that the death occurred a few days ago, as decomposition had already set in.
“The woman appeared to belong to a migrant family. No mobile phone, documents, or identity proof were recovered from the body, making identification difficult,” a police officer said.
Police said a forensic team collected evidence from the scene, and that they were investigating whether the death was accidental or the body was dumped after murder. CCTV footage from cameras installed on the Airport Road was being examined to determine how and when the body reached the drain, they said.
“We received information on 112, after which the team reached the spot and took the body into custody. Initial findings suggest the body is around two days old. It has been kept in the Dera Bassi hospital mortuary for 72 hours for identification. The case is being investigated seriously from all angles,” said ASI Baljeet Singh, investigating officer, Zirakpur Police.