A 23-year-old man has been arrested in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, after raping and beating his 22-year-old former schoolmate to death inside a hotel room, according to a report by the Times of India.
The suspect booked the hotel room in the city on August 26 to celebrate his birthday. He had contacted his former classmate in advance to arrange a meeting before luring her to the establishment.
The suspect and the victim previously studied together at the same school before their paths diverged in later years. According to police reports cited by local media, the man consumed a narcotic substance inside the room prior to carrying out the initial assault against the 22-year-old victim.
When the suspect attempted to rape the woman a second time, she offered resistance to defend herself. The enraged attacker then severely beat her, resulting in fatal injuries from which she did not survive.
Police investigation and search for accomplice
Police officers took the suspect into custody shortly after the incident. Law enforcement officials in Uttar Pradesh confirmed that investigators are currently searching for a possible accomplice who may have played a role in the crime.
The fatal assault took place in Firozabad, a major city in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India, located in the northern region of the country. The case was reported by the Times of India, a prominent national English-language newspaper.
Recent sexual assault cases in the region
The hotel tragedy comes after another recent sexual assault in India, where five men lay in wait for a female tourist in a deserted area. The victim was ambushed while traveling toward a temple dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu deity of wisdom and new beginnings, and was assaulted near the holy site.
Police authorities in Uttar Pradesh continue to investigate the hotel room crime scene as they work to identify the potential accomplice and gather evidence for prosecution.
