Physio rape & murder: Cops probing if attacker known to victim

Police are not ruling out the possibility of an involvement of more than one person in the rape and murder of a 24-year-old physiotherapist in suburban Vile Parle and that it could be the handiwork of anybody known to her.
The woman was found strangulated at her house early last morning and her autopsy report confirmed that she was sexually assaulted before the murder.
She lived with her parents at a one-plus tenement in a chawl, where she occupied the top room which served as her study room.
Police have so far quizzed over 100 people, including friends, relatives, and colleagues of the deceased, in connection with the crime.

"Basically, we are questioning everyone who was in touch with her," a police officer who is part of the probe said today.
However, police are yet to identify the prime suspect.

When asked whether a love affair could have been the trigger behind her murder, the officer said nothing can be ruled out at this stage and they are taking all angles into consideration.
However, the victim's alleged boyfriend, a sound engineer, was found to be working at a film studio early last morning when the crime was believed to have taken place.
The officer said the woman was first strangled with hand and then with jeans, which was found wrapped around her neck when her body was recovered. Apart from that no injury marks were found on her body.

According to the officer, the involvement of more than one person cannot be ruled out as a possibility. "Since there was no sign of forced entry inside her room, it could also be a handiwork of a person known to her," he said.
The officer informed the finger prints got destroyed in the chaos after the victim's mother and neighbours rushed inside her room to douse fire, allegedly started by her attacker to destroy evidence. The woman's body was recovered at around 4 AM.
The victim was last seen with some of her friends who had left her place around midnight on December 5 after partying, he said.

However, the officer clarified that no traces of alcohol were found in her body.
Police yesterday registered a case under various sections of IPC for murder, rape and unnatural sex.