Ceres Police are determining whether the body found in a Turlock Irrigation District canal on Saturday is that of a Ceres woman who has been missing since August 22.

Ceres Police Chief Trenton Johnson said while the identity of the individual found in the canal has not been confirmed, it’s likely that it’s Ajit Kaur, the 72-year-old Ceres woman who left her apartment at 1:30 a.m. Saturday, August 22 and never returned. Ceres Police never suspected foul play in her disappearance.

“We won’t know for sure until Monday after an autopsy but it is likely her,” said Johnson, who confirmed that the clothing on the body matched that of Kaur when she disappeared. The clothing consisted of a pink/peach-colored Indian suit and a dark pink Indian headscarf.

Johnson said Kaur’s family had been notified before announcing the discovery of a body on Saturday.

At approximately noon employees of the Turlock Irrigation District called law enforcement after locating what appeared to be a human body in the Lower Lateral 3 Canal near Central Avenue and Keyes Road. Law enforcement personnel confirmed that the remains were human.

Ceres Police said DNA testing will be conducted this week coming days to assist in confirming the individual’s identity. Kaur’s sister has provided DNA for testing, said Chief Johnson.

Johnson said his agency as well as dive teams from other agencies did an exhaustive search in the canals for a body and came up with nothing in the weeks ensuing after Kaur’s disappearance. TID personnel were also keeping a watch for a body to surface.

The canal flows behind the Casa Grande Apartments in a southward direction and beneath the freeway before making it into the rural area west of Keyes.

The investigation remains ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available and as appropriate.

Anyone with additional information, please contact Detective Sergeant Berber at (209) 538-5672.