Mirzapur, Dec 4 (IANS): A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to investigate the mysterious deaths of three cousins in Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur, whose bodies were found on Wednesday.

The police had initially registered a kidnapping case, but injury marks found in post-mortem has changed the course of investigation.

ADG, Varanasi zone, Brij Bhushan, said: "A panel of two doctors had conducted the post-mortem examination amid videography. As injury marks were found on the bodies, the case, which was initially registered under the IPC section 363 (kidnapping), was later converted into a murder case."

He said an SIT, comprising circle officers of Sadar, Vindhyachal, and Lalganj and special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team in charge, has been formed under ASP (operations) Mahesh Atri, to probe the case.

He said the district police will continue its investigation separately.

It may be recalled that on December 2, Shyam Narain Tiwari of Bami village had given a complaint to the police, saying that his son, Sudhanshu, and nephews, Shivam and Hariom, - all aged 14 - had gone to a neighbouring forest but did not return till late evening.

The Lalganj police lodged a case of kidnapping and started a search operation.

The police later recovered their clothes on the banks of Lehadia dam after which divers were pressed into service and the bodies of all the three were recovered.

The family members, on seeing the injury marks, on the boys' neck and eyeballs, alleged murder.

The bereaved family members, along with hundreds of villagers, stopped the police from taking the bodies for autopsy. They also blocked the Varanasi-Mirzapur-Reewa highway and staged a massive demonstration.

Sudhanshu's father Rajesh said his brothers Rakesh and Munnalal had come to his house along with their families to attend a wedding on November 30.

Most of the relatives were resting after the ceremony, when Sudhanshu left home with cousins, Shivam and Hariom.