An unidentified woman whose burnt body was found near a temple in Telangana's Shamshabad area on Friday night likely committed suicide, police sources said on Saturday.
According to police sources, the initial investigation into the death of the 35-year-old woman indicated that she committed suicide by self-immolation. Her charred body was found at a deserted place on Siddulagutta road.
The case came to light at a time when the state and the nation were already outraged over a similar case in which the charred body of a woman veterinary doctor was found on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Two days ago, she was allegedly gang-raped and murdered before her body was burned so she could not be identified.
The second woman's charred body was found in the same area on Friday just hours after four people were arrested by Cyberabad police in connection with the rape and murder of the first victim.
Police sources said the CCTV footage recovered showed the woman walking towards the temple on Friday evening carrying a plastic bag, containing a bottle with apparent gasoline inside.
"It preliminarily appears to be suicide as per the burn injuries and the scene of offence observed so far. However, further information would be given after the post-mortem report (is received) and her identity is established after looking at CCTV footage further. But, it preliminarily appears to be suicide as per available CCTV visuals and the things found with her," a police official said.
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An eyewitness noticed the woman sitting at the temple and crying. Police sources added that the woman was also seen speaking in Hindi, which is why they suspect she was a north Indian.
The woman was found burning later, police sources said. However, other possibilities are also being probed, they added. On Friday, the woman's body was moved to a government hospital for an autopsy. It is yet to be established if the woman was sexually assaulted or murdered.
A case has already been registered by the Samshabad police and all the angles are being investigated.