Missing man found dead in drain near Botanical Gardens waterfall

The body of a missing shop assistant was found in a ditch near the Botanical Gardens waterfall in Penang. (Bernama pic)

GEORGE TOWN: The body of a man reported missing two days ago was found lying in a drain near the Botanical Gardens waterfall at Jalan Kebun Bunga here today.

The victim, S. Govindaraju, 51, had been dead for more than 24 hours when his body was discovered, police said.

Bagan Jermal Fire and Rescue Station received a call from the public about the discovery of a fully-clothed man’s body at 6.10pm.

“The fire department rushed to the scene and lifted the body out before handing it over to the police to be sent to the hospital for an autopsy,” the department said in a statement.

District police chief Soffian Santong said the family of the man, a shop assistant, said he had been acting strangely of late, and often spoke to himself as if he was possessed. He had also been having fits frequently over the past week.

“The last time the family was with the man was on Friday, when they took him for traditional treatment, and he seemed to be better after the treatment, before he left the house alone at 10.30pm,” he said, adding that the family lodged a police report when the man did not return home.

Soffian said police found no trace of injury on the victim’s body nor elements of foul play at the scene. - FMT