The site is a popular fishing place for locals and residents of nearby Khabarovsk city.

Investigators have rushed to the scene in the Beshennaya channel of the Amur River in Khabarovsk.

Initially a single hand was spotted, then the bag containing a total of 54 severed hands.

Finger prints have been found on one hand.

The others are being checked.

The site is a popular fishing place for locals and residents of nearby Khabarovsk city.

The site is around 30 kilometres from the Chinese border close to a village called Vladimirovka.

Investigators have given no details so far on their probe into the case

Locals did not notice anything suspicious.

One gruesome theory is that the hands could have been axed off as a punishment for theft.

But local media reported that next to the remains were found medical bandages and hospital-style plastic shoe covers.

This has led to suspicion that the hands were cut off - possibly dead bodies - in a medical institution.

It is unclear why this may have been done.

Investigators have given no details so far on their probe into the case.