The body of the missing woman teacher has been found buried in an isolated place in Karnataka’s Mandya district, police said on Tuesday.

The police are suspecting it to be primarily a case of rape, and murder committed out of personal enmity. However, the family members have alleged that the police did not act swiftly after the missing complaint.

The incident was reported from Melukote near Srirangapatna in Mandya district and the deceased identified as Deepika, 28, a resident of Manikyahalli in Pandavapura taluk.

According to police, Deepika, who was married to Venkatesh and had an 8-year-old child, went missing after leaving for the school on January 20 and her family had registered a complaint with Melukote police station.

Her scooter was spotted near the foothills of Melukote and her family members with police launched a search for her in the area and found the body which was buried. The killer had also smashed Deepika’s face with a stone.

Police are suspecting the role of 21-year-old Nitin Gowda from the same village as he had made the last call to her. Gowda is absconding and police have launched a hunt for him. Further investigation is on.

(The story has been published via a syndicated feed with a modified headline.)