Thiruvananthapuram: A 17-year-old girl was found dead in a pool of blood with her throat slit outside her house at Vadasserikonam in nearby Varkala in the early hours of Wednesday, police said.
Hours after the incident, her friend Gopu (20) with whom the deceased girl was said to be in love for some time, was taken into custody. According to police, it is likely that the victim was called out of her house by the accused who then allegedly attacked her with a knife around midnight.
Her family members and neighbors, who rushed to the spot after hearing the scream and commotion, found the girl lying in a pool of blood near the house. She was immediately rushed to the hospital by her relatives where she was declared dead by doctors.
Police said Gopu was taken into custody based on the mobile phone details and other circumstantial evidence. The accused is a native of nearby Pallikkal and the victim was a student at a local college here.
A case is registered against the accused and he has been taken into custody. Police suspect that the couple's strained relationship might have led to the crime, although nothing has been ascertained yet. The police are investigating the case and interrogating the accused.