A 17-year-old girl was found dead in a pool of blood with her throat slit outside her house at Vadasserikonam in nearby Varkala in the early hours of Wednesday, police said. Hours after the incident, her friend Gopu, 20, with whom the deceased girl was said to be in love for some time, was taken into custody.
According to police, the victim, a college student, was suspected to have been called out of her house by the accused and allegedly attacked with a knife after midnight.
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Her family members and neighbours, who rushed to the spot hearing the scream and commotion, found the girl lying in a pool of blood near the house. Though she was taken to hospital by her relatives, she was declared dead by doctors.
Police said Gopu was taken into custody based on the mobile phone details and other circumstantial evidence. "The FIR is filed. The arrest of the accused will be registered soon. The exact reason can be ascertained only after a detailed interrogation," a police officer said, as quoted by PTI.
Police suspected that the couple's strained relationship might have led to the crime and as of now, no more details can be divulged, he added. The accused was a native of nearby Pallikkal and the victim was a student of a local college.
(With inputs from agencies)