The decomposed body of a 45-year-old security guard was found lying in a pool of blood on Wednesday morning, at the basement of an under-construction mall in Bistupur.

The guard, identified as Jaiprakash Singh, a resident of Road No 32 in Adityapur, was missing since Sunday. This led his wife Abhilasha Singh to lodge a missing person report with the Bistupur Police Station on Monday.

Jaiprakash’s body was found in the morning at the basement of the mall belonging to Tata Steel Infrastructure and Utility Company (TSIUC), earlier called Jusco.

The security guard had a grievous injury on his head, which is being considered as the cause of his death. His jaw was also ruptured, suggesting that the assailant had hit him hard in the head and jaw, leading to his death.

A police team, led by Officer-in-Charge of Bistupur thana, Upendra Mandal, visited the spot located just beside the P&MHi-Tech City Centre Mall, on Outer Circle Road in Bistupur.

“We have kept all option open regarding the death of the security guard, but prima facie it appears to be a case of murder. We have sent the body to the MGM Medical College mortuary for post-mortem. Following an autopsy report the matter will get further clear,” Mandal said.

On further query, he informed that there was a gap on the ground floor just above the basement where the body was found. This arises a suspicion that the victim might have had a fatal fall.

“But had it been a fall, then there must be injuries elsewhere of the body and not just in the head and the jaw. This is why we are inclined to consider it a case of murder,” the officer said while talking to The Telegraph Online.

Deputy superintendent of police (Composite Control Room) Arvind Kumar, who also visited the spot, said that they are finding out whether the deceased security guard was alone on duty.

“We are finding out whether any other guard was on duty along with Jaiprakash Singh. If it is the case, we will interrogate them regarding the circumstances under which the victim died,” he said.

The family members and relatives of the security guard had created ruckus at the under-construction mall after reaching there after they got to know about the death.

His wife, who is the mother of three minor children, has demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the security agency and a job at the Tata Steel Infrastructure and Utility Company.

“My husband was the only earning member of my family. Since he was murdered during duty on the premises of the mall, the security agency must pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation and the TSIUC must provide me a job so that I may run my family,” Abhilasha Singh said.

The under-construction mall, where the security guard was found dead, has been lying incomplete since the past seven years due to a legal tangle with the state government over the site.