Jaipur, Feb 24 : The body of a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, who had been missing for six days, was recovered from a canal in Rajasthan's Baran district.

The student had been swept away from the Chambal Canal in Kota, and his body was found nearly 50 kilometers away in the Anta area, stuck in a tree along the right main canal, police officials said on Tuesday.

The deceased has been identified as 23-year-old Lokesh Dangi, a resident of Bhadaheri village in Rajgarh district, Madhya Pradesh.

Lokesh had been preparing for the NEET examination in Kota for the past five years.

Due to prolonged exposure to water, the body was severely decomposed.

After post-mortem examination, the body was handed over to the family on Monday evening.

According to Anta police, around 12:30 pm on Monday, locals collecting wood near a railway bridge close to the NDPC factory spotted a body stuck in a tree in the canal and informed authorities. Police recovered the body and informed the family.

Family members searching for Lokesh rushed to Anta after being informed about an unidentified body in Baran district. He was identified based on clothing, a red T-shirt and black lower, and physical features.

Lokesh had been living in Kota for five years for exam preparation. On February 17, he left his hostel in the afternoon and did not return. When his phone was switched off, his family arrived in Kota and filed a missing person complaint at the Borkheda police station the same night.

CCTV footage showed Lokesh leaving the hostel and later walking towards the canal.

On February 18, his shoes, slippers, cap, and mobile phone were found on the bank of the Chambal Canal in the Kaithun police station area.

Police and SDRF teams launched a search operation on February 19, covering several kilometers of the canal.

Despite extensive searches, no trace was found initially.

On the sixth day, the body was finally recovered in Baran district. Police said further investigation is underway based on the postmortem report and other evidence to determine the circumstances of his death.

/IANS