Mayurbhanj, August 4: A police constable was found dead inside a suspiciously parked car near Padmanabhpur Chhak on NH-18 under Baisinga Police Station limits in Mayurbhanj district, creating panic and shock among locals.

The deceased has been identified as 45-year-old Constable Basant Mahanta, who was posted at Baisinga Police Station. A resident of the Jharpokharia area in Mayurbhanj, Mahanta was a member of the 2002 batch of police constables.

According to sources, a red-coloured car bearing registration number OD11Y-9596 was found parked along the roadside of NH-18 from around 11 AM on Monday. As the vehicle remained in the same place for several hours without any movement, local residents grew suspicious and approached the car.

They found a person lying unconscious on the driver’s seat and immediately informed the police. Baisinga Police reached the spot later in the afternoon and began an investigation. During verification, the person was identified as Constable Basant Mahanta.

The body was shifted to Baisinga Hospital, where family members, police officials, and colleagues gathered. The incident cast a pall of gloom among the police personnel and local residents.

Police have registered an unnatural death case and initiated an investigation. The exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained. Authorities are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine whether the death was due to natural causes, an accident, or any other reason.