Balangir, March 14: A brutal murder has been reported from Nirbachan village under the Sadar police station limits in Balangir district. A young man was allegedly beaten to death with a brick, and his blood-stained body was later recovered from a nearby agricultural field.

The deceased has been identified as Deepak Naik. However, the identity of the accused is yet to be established.

According to reports, Deepak had gone out on Friday night to attend a feast with some of his friends. When he did not return home till late at night, his family members grew worried and began searching for him, but they could not trace his whereabouts.

On Saturday morning, locals spotted his body lying in an agricultural field near the village and immediately informed the family members. After reaching the spot and observing the condition of the body, the family suspected foul play and alleged that Deepak had been murdered.

On receiving information, police reached the scene and shifted the body to Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Meanwhile, some villagers claimed that a group of youths had been consuming alcohol near a temple in the village. As the body was later found in a nearby field, it is suspected that a quarrel during drinking might have led to the murder. Police have launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.