PUDUKKOTTAIA: A 14-year-old girl found lying in a grove near Gandarvakottai died on Tuesday. She was a native of Nodiyur and went to fetch water from a pond outside the village on Monday morning. As she did not return home after a long time, her parents started looking for her. Her family members found her grievously injured and unconscious in a nearby eucalyptus grove. The Class 8 student was rushed to Thanjavur Medical College, but she succumbed on Tuesday. The girl’s father is a construction worker.
“She was found with injuries on her hands and legs and struggling to breathe. She was lying in an eucalyptus grove,” said a police officer investigating the case. Although it was initially speculated as a case of rape and murder, the autopsy report showed no signs of rape, according to police.
Speaking to TNIE, Arun Sakthikumar, SP, Pudukkottai, said, “The postmortem report issued from the hospital clarified she had not been raped, but strangled to death. A forensic exam was conducted at the crime scene. We will investigate from all angles and nab the culprits.”
Police suspect the incident could be the result of a rape attempt. While no one has been arrested, police have taken four people into custody for questioning, based on information provided by the family