Kasaragod: A headless body was found washed ashore at Lighthouse Beach in Kasaragod on Saturday morning. News of the discovery drew a large number of people to the Beach.

Kasaragod Coastal Police, investigating the case, said the remains were of a male, but little else could be established because of the advanced stage of decomposition. "At this stage, we can only confirm that it is the body of a man. We cannot even estimate his age. It appears to have been in the sea for at least three weeks," said the Station House Officer of the Kasaragod Coastal Police.

The body was found unclothed and without its head. The flesh on the legs had decomposed, exposing the calf bones. Police said the body's condition made it impossible to determine how the head became detached or whether the man had drowned. "We will have to wait for the autopsy report before we can even say whether this is a drowning case," an officer said.

Police said they are also examining the possibility that the body may have been buried elsewhere and later washed into the sea by heavy run-off following the recent rains along the coast.

After completing the inquest, police shifted the body for postmortem examination. They have also begun collecting details of people reported missing in recent weeks in an effort to establish the victim's identity.