Dharwad (Karnataka) | The charred body of a former MLA's son was found inside a car in a dense forest area of this district on Tuesday, police said.

The deceased has been identified as Raju Bolashetty (53), a resident of Udakeri village in Bailhongal taluk of Belagavi district, they said.

He was the son of former MLA Baburao Bolashetty, sources said.

According to police, the man's charred body was found inside his car parked in a deserted area near the railway track in Ramapur village in Dharwad taluk. The body was found completely burnt, raising strong suspicion.

Citing preliminary investigation, a senior police officer said the assailants are suspected to have killed Raju and later set the car on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence before fleeing the spot.

On receiving information, Dharwad Rural Police visited the scene and conducted an inspection.

The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and a case has been registered.

Police have formed teams and launched an investigation to ascertain the exact cause and identify those involved in the act, officials said.

A forensic team and a dog squad also inspected the scene of the crime and collected evidence for further investigation, they added.