Schoolgirl raped, murdered

TELUK INTAN - A 16-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl was found naked and dead in a drain near an oil palm estate in Ladang Rubana here.

Hilir Perak OCPD Asst Comm Goh Kok Liang said M. Divya Barathi was found lying face down in the drain by a passer-by at 7.30am on Saturday.

He said the passer-by had earlier found Divya Barathi's school bag and clothing before locating the body about 10m away. It is believed that the girl was also raped before she was killed.

ACP Goh said police are still waiting for a post-mortem report from the Teluk Intan Hospital Forensics Unit to ascertain the cause of death. He added that police did not find any weapon at the crime scene.

The girl's father K. Murali, 43, said he last saw his daughter alighting a bus and walking into the estate on Friday evening, said ACP Goh, adding that the SM Horley Methodist student was returning home after attending tuition class in town. 'Murali lodged a report at the Teluk Intan police station after his daughter did not return home that night,' he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. ACP Goh also said no arrest have been made but they have called one of Divya Barathi's classmates to assist in the investigations.

Source: THE STAR/ANN