Moscow, Aug 19 (IANS/RIA Novosti): An Austrian lawyer linked to Russian organised crime was kidnapped and accidentally killed by two former Russian policemen with a criminal record, a media report said Saturday.

The body of Erich Rebasso, who went missing in Vienna in late July, was recently unearthed in a forest outside the Austrian capital, the Kommersant daily said.

The discovery was made after Russian police detained the two alleged kidnappers on request of their Austrian colleagues, who traced them to Moscow.

The suspects, Pavel Vlasov and Alexander Molchanov, have served on the police force in Kirov city, but were discharged and jailed for fraud and heroin dealing, respectively.

Vlasov and Molchanov, who started working for an unidentified crime boss after serving their prison sentences, admitted during questioning that they kidnapped Rebasso.

But they said they hit him on the head so hard he died in the process, Kommersant reported.

Rebasso's death did not prevent the duo from unsuccessfully attempting to extract a ransom of 435,000 euro ($535,000) from his family.

Vlasov and Molchanov are currently in custody and can face up to 15 years in prison if charged and convicted of kidnapping. They will be tried in Russia because Russian legislation does not allow extradition of the country's citizens.