A woman's body was found in a mango orchard in Bashahari, which is under the jurisdiction of Mal police station limits of Lucknow, on Monday, police said, adding their initial investigation suggested the possibility of sexual assault followed by murder.
Police were yet to identify the deceased till the last reports came in.
"The body has been sent for post-mortem to confirm the cause of death," police said in their official statement.
"A police team recovered a mobile phone and several crucial pieces of evidence from the site. The phone has been sent for examination to help identify the woman and trace those involved," said DCP North Gopal Krishna Choudhary.
Officers are trying to determine who she was, how she reached the orchard and the exact circumstances that led to her death. Whether she was sexually assaulted before being killed would be confirmed in the autopsy report, the official added.
"To establish her identity, police teams are questioning residents of nearby villages and checking missing persons' reports from surrounding police stations," the DCP added.
Minor girl rescued from hotel, alleges rape; accused held
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped at a hotel near Khurdahi Bazaar on Sultanpur Road here, police said on Monday. Police rescued the minor survivor from a hotel and arrested the accused, a 30-year-old man who lives in the area, from the spot, they added.
According to an official police statement, the girl, a Class 6 student, hails from Barabanki district but lives with her relatives in the area.
She stepped out of the house after an altercation with her family members late Sunday night. This was when Manoj Sahu, the accused, offered her a ride on his motorcycle. He took her to a hotel near Khurdahi Bazaar, where the alleged assault occurred, Sushant Golf City police said.
The matter came to light after the girl's relatives reported her missing to the Sushant Golf City police station early Monday. Acting promptly, police personnel reviewed CCTV footage, traced the minor to the hotel, and recovered her from the premises.
Deputy commissioner of police (South Zone) Nipun Agarwal stated, "Upon receiving the missing person's report, we immediately contacted the family and analysed CCTV recordings. The minor was located at the hotel, and the accused was taken into custody. The survivor has accused him of rape."
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he added. The crime scene has been sealed, and a forensic team deployed to collect evidence. The accused is under interrogation, and further legal proceedings are in progress.
In an official note issued, by Sushant Golf City police station said: "The minor complainant, residing with her relative in Khurdahi Bazaar, left home in anger. She met the accused Manoj Sahu on the way, who was returning from Kanakaha (a music event). Both checked into a hotel within the jurisdiction, where she alleged rape. A case has been registered under appropriate sections, and the accused has been arrested."