Dimapur, Jan 4 (IANS): Nine highly decomposed bodies were found in a drain in Nagaland's Dimapur district, police said Saturday.

A police spokesperson said the bodies were found late Friday when road construction workers alerted by the stench saw human feet protruding from a drain.

"We have found nine highly decomposed male bodies from a ditch in Pachaspura area. The eyes were blindfolded with the hands tied behind and were shot from close range on their heads," Dimapur district police chief V.Z. Angami told IANS.

Pachaspura area is about 13 km from Dimapur, the main commercial town in Nagaland, bordering Assam.

"We are suspecting that all the nine were killed in some other locations and the killers have dumped the dead bodies there as the villagers in the area have not heard of any gunshots in recent weeks," he said.

Angami said police have started investigations.

The bodies have been kept at the Dimapur district Civil Hospital morgue for autopsy.