Missing Tirtol student death: Identity established, police suspect rape and murder

Paradip: Police have initiated a high-level investigation into alleged murder and rape of the Plus Three student after her body was discovered from a building in Paradip in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district on Monday. The girl had been missing since Saturday. Her body was found on the ground below the fourth floor of a building named Khuntia Niwas in Tarinigada area of Paradip. Police suspect she was pushed from the terrace after being gang raped.

A youth from Bihar has been arrested. His two other room-mates - one from Uttar Pradesh and another from Odisha - have also been taken into custody for interrogation regarding their suspected involvement. Preliminary probe revealed that the girl was hailing from Kolara in Tirtol. The accused youth was found to be working as a laborer for a local company and was living on rent in a four-storey building belonging to one Sambhu Khuntia in Tarinigada area of Paradip. On Saturday, he offered the victim a lift near Sarala Road and then took her to his room

Forensic Evidence and Crime Scene

Bloodstains and Hidden Mobile Phone Point to Foul Play

While initial reports suggest the victim may have been pushed from the terrace, police are currently investigating the possibility of gang-rape followed by murder as bloodstains were discovered on the walls of the room.The victim’s clothes were recovered from the room. Her mobile phone was found hidden on a kitchen ledge in another part of the building. It was found that the accused had reportedly switched off the victim’s phone. When investigators powered the device back on, a call from the victim’s brother provided vital information that helped identify her. Police suspect an attempt was made to frame the death as a suicide. A cloth, allegedly used to obstruct a gas pipe, was found discarded alongside the body.

Status of the Investigation

Official source said the primary suspect has undergone a medical examination. Paradip Police are now focusing on how the student reached the location and whether the other two youths being questioned were active participants in the crime. The victim’s family is expected to file a formal complaint later today, they said.

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