Moscow, July 15 (DPA) The head of a prominent Russian human rights organisation was kidnapped and killed in Russia’s troubled Caucasus region Wednesday, the Moscow state prosecutor’s office confirmed.
The body of Natalya Estemirova, head of the group Memorial, was discovered in the Russian republic of Ingushetia with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest, reported the Interfax news agency, citing government reports.

Estemirova, 50, had been abducted by unknown persons after leaving her home in Grozny, the capital of the neighbouring republic of Chechnya, Wednesday morning, a spokesman for the group told DPA.

The Chechen Interior Ministry announced an investigation into the case.

Violent incidents have been arising across the Caucasus in recent months as Islamist rebel forces clash with pro-Russian local governments.

Estemirova was regarded as a committed human rights campaigner in the former war zone of Chechnya. The death sparked comparisons to the 2006 gangland style killing of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who had also been known for her reports on conditions in Chechnya during two major conflicts there between rebels and Russian government forces.

Memorial is a group devoted to airing past and present abuses by the former Soviet state and the current Russian government.

Estemirova had fought to publicise state abuses against civilians in the Chechen conflicts. She also worked to reunite families separated by the conflict.

Estemirova had received several threats from government sources and was criticised by Chechen President Ramsan Kayrov for her work.