ROURKELA: The body of an unidentified woman was recovered from the bushes near Kalunga saw mill under Brahmani Tarang (BT) police limits here on Friday morning amid suspicion that she was raped and murdered.
The woman, believed to be in her mid-twenties, was found dead on a barren patch surrounded by bushes around 100 metre from the Saw Mill-Kalunga road on the outskirts of Rourkela city. She was wearing a pink kurti and blue jeans with a black scarf draped around her neck.
On being informed by locals, BT police along with a scientific team and dog squad rushed to the scene and seized the body for autopsy.
DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said efforts are underway to ascertain the woman’s identity. All nearby police stations have been alerted. Photo of the woman is being circulated on WhatsApp groups of police and other social media platforms for quick identification to help expedite investigation.
Police ruled out the possibility of rape and said an unnatural death case has been registered in connection with the incident. The DIG said inquest has been completed and there was no clear indication of sexual assault yet. The circumstances under which the woman reached the spot and died are under investigation.
“The exact cause of her death would be known after the autopsy report arrives. The body has been preserved at the morgue of Rourkela Government Hospital. Investigation is underway from all angles,” Rai added.