Surat: The cremation of the 22-year-old BTech graduate was conducted on Wednesday, nearly 60 hours after she was allegedly murdered at Godavadi village in Mandvi taluka of Surat district. Her family had initially refused to cremate her, demanding the arrest of those responsible for the brutal killing. Police are yet to identify the assailant.A preliminary post-mortem examination indicated that the woman had also been sexually assaulted. Police are awaiting the detailed forensic report to determine whether she was raped.“We are yet to get a report about the cause of death, which will include findings on whether the woman was raped. Based on the findings, we will add additional sections to the FIR. So far, sexual assault has been confirmed, but not penetration”, said J S Valvi, police inspector, Mandvi.Doctors collected vaginal swab samples during the post-mortem and the forensic report is expected to provide further details. Injury marks were also found on the woman’s private parts, based on which police confirmed sexual assault.Police recovered the victim’s mobile phone from a water tank on the ground floor. The phone was cracked and has been sent for forensic examination to recover data and other information. Investigators suspect the device may have been deliberately damaged.Police also believe robbery may not have been the motive, given the manner in which the woman was killed. Her body was kept on the terrace, apparently in an attempt to conceal it for some time. Investigators said the assailant used a rope and a mobile charging cable to strangle her and also used two plastic bags to smother her.A police dog squad inspected the crime scene but did not yield any significant leads. Investigators also found no unusual mobile phone locations around the crime scene.“After discussions with the family, they were convinced to cremate the body. The family members were explained how various police teams are working to crack the case and they were convinced by our efforts,” said Rajesh Gadhiya, superintendent of police, Surat.The victim had completed a BTech in computer science and was preparing to pursue higher studies abroad. She was also preparing for IELTS as part of the process.According to police, her parents had left for a pilgrimage on Aug 21 and returned around 3am on Monday. On reaching home, they found their daughter dead and alerted the police.Investigators said the woman had spoken to her parents on the phone between 9.30pm and 10pm on Sunday. When her parents returned, she did not open the door despite repeated knocking. They later went to the rear of the house, where they found the door open.The victim’s father is a farmer and her mother is a homemaker. Her elder sister is married and currently lives in Canada, police said.
