The Kerala Police on Tuesday detained two people in connection with the brutal murder of a Dalit woman near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, reported ANI. The 29-year-old law student was found dead near her house last Thursday. The Human Rights Commission has directed the state's Director General of Police to hand over the case to the Crime Branch, ANI reported.

The autopsy report suggested that the victim was tortured with a sharp instrument that pierced her uterus and intestines. Her body bore more than 30 wounds, including a 13-cm deep gash around her chest that ran till her liver. The perpetrators mangled her body with brute force, the police said. At least five of the 30 injuries, one each on her head, the back of the neck, chest and stomach, were major.

According to investigators, she used to live with her mother in an isolated area. Her body was found without her churidar bottom, lying near a canal. Police said she had been suffocated to death using a shawl-like cloth and that they believe more than one person was involved in the crime.

Although the postmortem report suggested rape, investigators are waiting for lab reports to confirm it, reported The Hindu. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said strict action would be taken against the culprits, reported The News Minute. The Human Rights Commission has also registered a suo moto in the matter.

“It was a violent and brutal murder. The post-mortem report suggests chances of rape, but we are waiting for the test report to confirm that. A special team and three sub-teams have been deputed to probe the case,” Superintendent of Police Yathish Chandra GH said. Police have ruled out theft or robbery as she was very poor. Her father had left the family when she was seven.