A Burnley charity worker has been murdered in India.

The body of Michael James Blakey, 23, was found hidden under stones in a gully next to an Anglican church he attended.

Bosses of the Edinburgh-based Tong Len Charitable Trust, which works with refugee families in India, have been told it was likely his injuries had been caused by stones and that his killer was not known to him.

Today, tributes to Michael, described as an inspiration and someone who dedicated his life to others, poured in from family, friends and colleagues.

Police in northern India are at a loss to find any motive for the murder of Michael.

The Dharamsala province does not have a high-level terrorist or criminal threat.

Michael, of Pike Hill, Burnley, had been in the region since June trying to help refugee families get poverty relief and education.

He went missing from the Kirti Monastery, where he was staying, five days before his body was found.

A visitor to St John of the Wilderness Church made the grim discovery of Michael's body last Wednesday.

Santosh Patial, police superintendent, said: "Investigations are on and we are hopeful of getting vital leads from the monastery room where the victim was staying.

"It is yet to be established why he was murdered."

Michael was due to return home to spend Christmas with his family before heading back to India in the New Year for a further six months' charity work.

He was then due to start work on a Phd in London.

His father Paul paid tribute to his son.

He said: "Michael touched the lives of so many. He just wanted to go to India and help other people, but now we may never know what happened to him.

"Michael was always quite a happy boy but never more so than when he was in Dharamsala.

"He was doing what he loved best - helping others."

Director of Tong Len Anna Owen said: "The police believe that he died from injuries inflicted by stones.

"They have no leads as yet as to motive, but have indicated that they think more than one person was involved and that it is most probable that he was killed by persons unknown to him.

"Michael worked tirelessly for Tong-Len and was an inspiration to us all. He is irreplaceable in our organisation."

Full story in today's Lancashire Telegraph on pages 1 to 3.

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