Guwahati, Jun 20 (IANS): Ahead of the much-awaited Ambubachi festival, a headless body of a woman was recovered from near the Bandurga temple, located close to the historical Kamakhya temple atop Nilachal hill in Guwahati.

Some locals spotted the headless body of the woman around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, police said. The witnesses also spotted some material used in rituals near the body.

The police rushed to the area and said the head is yet to be recovered.

"It is difficult to make any comment as of now. We have started the investigation. Our first job is to identify the body," said a senior police officer.

Security has been tightened in and around the temple due to the Ambubachi festival, which is supposed to start from the night of June 22.

The annual festival draws lakhs of devotees from different parts of the country and world to the temple every year and the temple authorities have estimated an inflow of 25 lakh devotees this year.

The Kamakhya Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya and it is regarded as one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Pithas spread across the country.