Oz police special squad to investigate death of Indian businessman

Melbourne, Oct 10 (ANI): The New South Wales Police has set up a special strike force to investigate the death of Indian businessman Pradeep Kumar who disappeared from Mildura three weeks ago.

Police declared on Friday that the death of Kumar, whose body was found four days ago over the border in NSW, was suspicious.

His body was found dumped in grass by the side of Old Euston Road, in Gol Gol, a 10-minute drive from Mildura, and part of the Sunraysia fruit-growing district.

The strike force has been formed from the NSW State Crime Command's homicide squad and Barrier local area command.

It is expected DNA comparisons will be required for formal identification of the man, a NSW police spokesman said.

The Age reported that the body found on Tuesday was that of an Indian man wearing a shirt similar to that Kumar wore the day he disappeared.

Kumar was last seen on September 22, when he failed to keep a business appointment at Mildura library. His blue Commodore car was found two days later outside the Mildura railway station with his car keys, wallet and 9000 dollars lying on the floor.

His phone and bank accounts have remained untouched.

Before handing over their investigation into the disappearance to NSW police on Tuesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles from Victoria's Homicide squad said business rivalry was a possible motive for the disappearance.

Kumar, an Indian national, migrated to Australia in September last year, and rapidly set up his business named Shiva's Deep, hiring out short-term labourers for fruit picking and harvesting.

Senior Sergeant Iddles said Mr Kumar was providing accommodation for up to 20 workers in his house and might have been exploiting them. (ANI)