Woman's Naked Body Found In Bushes Near Andhra School, Cops Suspect Rape

A sleepy hamlet in Andhra Pradesh awoke to a shocking sight on Friday when a 21-year-old woman's body was found without clothes in the bushes near a girls' high school in the area. Police said they suspect the woman was raped before she was killed.

Officials said the woman from Epurupalem village in Bapatla district had gone for her morning ablutions near the school, which is close to a railway track, but never returned.

"The woman had gone to attend nature's call between 5:30 am and 5:45 am but did not return home, prompting her family members to launch a search for her. She was found dead," Bapatla District Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal said.

An official said five teams have been formed to investigate the murder and police suspect the woman was also raped.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directed Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha to visit the village.

"The culprits should be captured within 48 hours. There is no room for laxity and the chief minister has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh," Ms Anitha said, adding that the government suspects such crimes are growing due to increased abuse of narcotic substances.

"Andhra Pradesh does not even have a separate cell to deal with narcotic cases, we intend to work on war-footing to stop narcotic drug supply and abuse," she said.

The home minister said the victim was from a poor family. She was a seamstress while her father was a weaver.

The family members said they don't suspect anybody and do not know of anyone stalking their daughter.