Dalit woman's rape & murder appears to be planned: Police

Kochi, May 6: A week after the brutal rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Ernakulam district, Kerala Police today said the incident appears to be a "planned one" and its probe has entered a "crucial stage".

"Investigation is going through a crucial stage. It appears to be a planned murder and not an un-premeditated," Additional Director General of Police K Padmakumar, who is supervising the probe by the Special Investigation Team comprising experts from the state police, told reporters here.

He said the investigation is on the "right track", but refused to say about the arrest of the culprits. Police, which continued questioning people, including some neighbours, a bus driver and his assistant, to get a lead in the case, said it was verifying the inputs received from various persons.

Over 125 people have been questioned in connection with the rape and brutal murder of the 30-year-old law student, who hailed from a poor family, at her home at Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district on April 28.

Earlier, state police chief T P Senkumar had rejected suggestions that there were many major lapses by the force initially which have impacted the probe.

After holding meeting with the top cops supervising the case at nearby Perumbavoor last evening, Senkumar had said "a scientific, professional investigation" is progressing in the case, but admitted that they could not reach a "sudden detection."

"We are doing a professional work. Many experts in the police team have been called in to assist the probe. We are taking all types of inputs. Scientific, professional investigation is on. We have not reached a sudden detection but the probe is in progress," he told reporters.

The top police officer said there were "not much lapses" from the local police in the initial stage of the investigation.

PTI