Bovansko Lake: body found, prosecutor's office orders autopsy
Anglers spotted the body in the evening hours; gendarmerie divers pulled it from the water, with an investigation underway to establish identity and cause of death.
In Bovansko Lake, in the Sokobanja municipality, the body of an unidentified man was found on May 27 in the late evening hours. A source close to the Zajecar Police Administration confirmed the discovery.
Residents of nearby villages spotted the body during evening fishing and immediately notified the duty service.
Gendarmerie divers retrieved the body
Divers from the specialised Gendarmerie unit pulled the body from the water roughly one hour after the call. The body was handed from the scene to judicial authorities for an autopsy.
The autopsy will be carried out at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Nis.
Examinations and identification
The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zajecar is leading the pre-investigation. The following has been ordered:
- forensic examination of samples from the body and clothing
- DNA sample testing
- comparison of the DNA profile with the MUP’s missing persons database
- comparison with relatives of reported missing persons from a wider area
According to sources close to the investigation, the body had been in the water for several days. The exact time of death and exact cause will be the subject of the autopsy report.
The criminal offence of murder under Article 113 of the Criminal Code, if a violent death is established, carries a sentence of five to fifteen years.
No visible signs of violence
According to unofficial accounts, no obvious signs of violence were noted on the body. This assessment does not rule out the possibility of a violent death.
An autopsy is a mandatory procedural step in all cases of unknown or violent death. The legal basis is Article 152 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The next procedural step
The next procedural step is the preparation of the autopsy report. It is delivered to the prosecutor’s office within ten days.
Upon receipt of the report, the prosecutor’s office decides whether to open a formal investigation. Proceedings are discontinued if natural death or self-inflicted injury is established.
Local community and the lake shore
The Sokobanja Police Station announced an increased patrol of the Bovansko Lake shore in the coming days. The aim is to check whether further traces exist that could help clarify the circumstances.
From the local Sokobanja community, according to a municipal statement, full readiness has been expressed to assist the investigation. Residents have been asked to report data on any missing persons or persons last seen to the police.
The prosecutor’s office has not officially confirmed whether a new public statement is expected until the identity of the deceased is established.
Will DNA analysis lead to identification in the coming days? Follow updates from the prosecutor’s office on our portal.
