Mangaluru: In a shocking development to a missing person case, the decomposed body of a 27-year-old labourer from West Bengal was recovered from a sewage treatment tank in Surathkal. Police have arrested a fellow worker on charges of murder, revealing a brutal crime triggered by personal vengeance.
Labourer missing since June 24
The deceased has been identified as Mukesh Mandal, son of Bhudev Mandal, a native of Parampur in Ratua, Malda district, West Bengal. He had been employed as a daily wage labourer at Mook Rohan Estate in Surathkal.
According to the complaint filed by his colleague, Deepankar, also hailing from West Bengal, Mukesh went missing around 9 pm on June 24, 2025. Based on this, Surathkal police registered a missing person case (Crime No. 83/2025) on July 2 and launched an investigation.
Decomposed body discovered in STP tank
On August 21, the case took a grim turn when Mukesh’s decomposed body was found hidden inside an STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) tank within the estate. Police said the body was in an advanced state of decomposition and had been concealed with a plywood sheet to prevent detection.
The discovery was made after a tip-off from a local resident, Chetan, who alerted the authorities about suspicious activities.
Accused identified as fellow worker
Police investigations revealed that Lakshman Mandal alias Lakhan (30), son of Binay Mandal and a resident of Bado village under Ratua police station limits in Malda district, West Bengal, was involved in the crime. He too was employed as a labourer at the estate.
A murder case (Crime No. 109/2025) under Sections 103(1) and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 was registered against him.
Manhunt across states leads to arrest
A special police team led by PSI Shashidhar Shetty and ASI Rajesh Alva was dispatched to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu to track the accused. After extensive efforts, Lakshman was traced, arrested, and brought back to Mangaluru for interrogation.
During questioning, the accused reportedly confessed to the murder.
Motive behind the crime
According to police, on the night of June 24, both Mukesh and Lakshman were drinking alcohol inside an under-construction building. At that time, Mukesh allegedly showed obscene videos of Lakshman’s wife, which he had secretly recorded on his mobile phone.
Enraged by this, Lakshman picked up a nearby iron rod and struck Mukesh fatally on the head. He then dragged the body to the estate’s STP tank, dumped it inside, and sealed the tank with plywood to hide evidence.
Accused remanded to police custody
Lakshman was formally arrested on September 4 and produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to five days’ police custody for further interrogation.
Investigators also revealed that the accused has a prior criminal record, with two assault cases already registered against him at Ratua police station in West Bengal.
Police commend swift teamwork
“This was a cold-blooded act triggered by personal vengeance. The accused attempted to erase all traces of the crime, but due to swift coordination and groundwork by our team, he was traced and brought to justice,” said a senior police officer.
The investigation was carried out under the guidance of ACP (North Sub-Division) Sreekanth K, with Surathkal police inspector Pramod Kumar P overseeing the operation.
The team also included PSIs Raghunayak, Raghavendra Naik, Janardhana Naik, Shashidhar Shetty; ASIs Rajesh Alva, Taranath; and police personnel Annappa, Umesh Kumar, Rajendra Prasad, Karthik, Mohan, and Nagaraj.
Conclusion
The gruesome recovery of Mukesh’s body and the arrest of Lakshman underscores the role of quick community reporting, interstate coordination, and persistent police investigation in solving complex murder cases. With the accused now in custody, the case will move forward to trial as police continue piecing together supporting evidence.