Dumka, Feb 19 (IANS): The body of a young man was found hanging from a tree near Jaruadih village in Jharkhand's Dumka district on Wednesday, raising suspicions of foul play.

The deceased has been identified as Aryan, a resident of the village. His house is barely 200 metres from the spot where his body was discovered.

According to family members, Aryan had left home on Tuesday evening but did not return. Concerned about his whereabouts, the family began searching for him late at night but were unable to find him. It was only in the morning that they saw his body hanging from a tree and immediately informed the police.

The family strongly suspects that Aryan was murdered and that the hanging was staged to make it appear as a case of suicide.

They allege that someone might have killed him and later hung his body from the tree to mislead the investigation.

The police have initiated a probe and are questioning the family about any possible enmity Aryan might have had. His call records are also being analysed.

Upon receiving information, a police team led by Dumka Sadar SDPO Vijay Kumar arrived at the scene. A dog squad has also been deployed to assist in the investigation.

Talking to the media, SDPO Vijay Kumar said, "It is too early to draw conclusions. We are exploring all possibilities, and a thorough investigation is underway."

This incident comes barely a month after a similar case in Dumka’s Mufassil police station area, where the body of 40-year-old Brentius Hembrom was found hanging from a tree in the Kadhalbil area. In that case, too, the victim’s family suspected it was murder.

With yet another suspicious hanging case in the district, locals are demanding a thorough investigation to uncover the truth behind these deaths. The police have assured that all angles are being examined.