Jammu and Kashmir's Director General (Prisons) Hemant K Lohia was found murdered at his residence here on Monday night with police suspecting his domestic help as the main culprit, police said.

Director General of Police Dilbag Singh described it as an "extremely unfortunate" incident and said a manhunt had been launched to nab his domestic help identified as Jasir, who is absconding.

Giving details, Singh told PTI that the suspect had even attempted to set ablaze the body of 57-year-old Lohia, who was promoted and appointed as Director General of prisons in the Union Territory in August.

Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh, who visited the house at Udaiwala on the outskirts of Jammu, said Lohia, a 1992-batch IPS officer, was found dead with burn injuries on his body and his throat slit.

A preliminary examination of the crime scene indicated that Lohia must have been applying some oil on his foot which showed some swelling. The killer had first suffocated Lohia to death and also used a broken ketchup bottle to slit his throat and later tried to set the body on fire, the police chief said.

The guards present at the residence of the officer saw the fire inside Lohia's room. They had to break open the door as it was locked from inside, he said.

The ADGP said the preliminary examination of the scene of crime points towards murder.

"The domestic help is absconding. A search for him has started," he said, adding forensic and crime teams are on the spot.

"The investigation process has begun. Senior officers are on the spot," the officer said, adding the J&K Police family expresses grief and deep sorrow over the death of their senior officer.