Punalur: The decomposed body of an unidentified person, estimated to be around two weeks old, was found chained and locked to a rubber tree in an abandoned plantation in Mukkadavu. The hands and legs were bound with heavy chains. Police have launched an intensive investigation.

The body was found about 600 metres from the Mukkadavu bridge along the Punalur–Muvattupuzha state highway, within the Vanmala ward of Piravanthoor grama panchayat. Local residents collecting chillies (kanthari) in the estate on Tuesday afternoon stumbled upon the body.

A torn bag, scissors, a saw and a bottle were also recovered from the spot. The area had not been tapped for rubber recently and was overgrown with wild vegetation, making the body difficult to spot from a distance. The face and several parts of the body were burnt, and the body was so decomposed that identification was not possible, police said. A chain resembling gold was found around the neck.

The Punalur fire force cut through the chains that bound the body to the tree. Police noted that a large, heavy chain had been used to lock the hands and legs to the trunk. A sniffer dog tracked the scent up to 150 metres from the body.

The remains have been kept at the Punalur Taluk Hospital mortuary. Additional samples will be collected for DNA testing. The post-mortem will be conducted at Parippally Medical College Hospital on Wednesday.