Police in the world's highest town are investigating the mysterious killing of seven men whose bodies were found with gunshot wounds inside a Peruvian gold mine.
The prosecutors' office said in a statement Wednesday that they were "directing the first steps in the investigation to clarify the alleged murder of seven miners" at La Rinconada gold mine.
Seven bodies with gunshot wounds to the head were discovered Monday by security guards inside a tunnel, located more than 5,000 meters (16,000 feet) above sea level.
The mine's manager Policarpio Calla said none of the dead men were employed at the mine, where work had been suspended for the Easter holidays.
Calla said the seven men could have entered the tunnel during the four-day holiday period to steal gold and clashed with another group.
La Rinconada is the world's highest permanent settlement, perched atop Mount Ananea in the Peruvian Andes close to the Bolivian border.
The population snowballed to around 50,000 during the 2000s when a spike in the price of gold drew tens of thousands of prospectors to brave the often sub-zero conditions.
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