Depressed Tourist Beheaded After Being Raped, Decomposed Body Found In Forest

A Latvian woman who traveled to India to treat her depression was drugged, raped and beheaded, an autopsy report revealed Thursday. The woman's body was found last month in a decomposed state hanging upside down from a tree in a swampy region near Kovalam beach, a popular tourist location in the southern state of Kerala.

The woman from Dublin, Ireland, arrived in India in February to visit ayurvedic centers for her treatment for depression. Liga Skromane, 33, disappeared weeks after arriving in the country. Her body was found on April 20 and Kerala police launched an investigation into her death. Two people have been arrested in connection to her death.

According to police, the two suspects — believed to be drug peddlers — lured the woman in a boat after providing her some narcotic substance. One of the accused has a history of sexually assaulting several women.

“Then they gave her the substance and started sexually assaulting her. When she resisted, they killed her,” State Police Chief Loknath Behera said in a news conference Thursday. “The body was disposed in a manner to make people believe Liga had committed suicide. It’s premature to rule out the involvement of more people in the crime."

The arrests were made after nearly two weeks of investigation, police said, adding that over 200 suspects were questioned during the probe. The two men arrested and charged in Skromane's brutal rape and murder have been identified only by their first names — Umesh and Udayan.

Police said the victim's body was decomposed and the initial autopsy didn’t reveal much about the cause of death. However, they were able to determine that she was given drugs and assaulted before being strangled to death. Police also said since the body was in a decomposed state, it was difficult to get forensic evidence.

“If necessary, we will seek the help of the best labs in the country to ensure that a tight case is charged against the guilty," Behera said.

The tourist's funeral was held in the state's capital Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday.

"I am aware of the police investigations and they have been in touch with me. For now I am focusing on the funeral. She loved Kerala and had received a lot of love and support. We don't want to leave India with only bad memories. The funeral will be a private affair. On Sunday there will be a memorial, which will be open to public. It will be a tribute to her life," sister Ilze Skromane told local TV network NDTV.

The victim's sister and husband, Andrew Jordan, were present at the funeral.