19-year-old student found dead in mango orchard

Police said the victim’s footwear was discovered on a road leading to the mango orchard. The friend who had called the victim’s sister later found her lifeless body under a tree and transported it on a two-wheeler to a hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

Valsad District Superintendent of Police Karanraj Vaghela told The Indian Express that a forensic post-mortem conducted in Surat on Friday revealed the primary cause of death to be asphyxia due to strangulation. Vaghela said, “The police received a call from the hospital where the victim had been taken. We immediately began an investigation and sent the body for autopsy. An FIR has been registered against an unidentified person, and we are awaiting a detailed forensic report to determine if any sexual assault occurred.”

The Valsad district police have formed ten teams, including members from the Local Crime Branch and the Special Operations Group, and are examining CCTV footage from the area. The victim’s call detail records have also been requested as part of the investigation. The FIR has been filed at Pardi police station for murder.