Puttur: An Adivasi Koraga community high school student girl, Geetha (16), was found hanging as if she had committed suicide, but raised suspicions of rape and murder after 9 youth was taken into police custody, here on Friday. The body was hung by her salwar shawl at half a Kilometer distance from her school, on a hilly region.

On Thursday (Dec 29), she had left home but did not attend the school from Janatha Colony in Keyyur Devnagar. Her body was found later with a school bag, books and a 4-page illegible letter at the spot on a hill. Her parents Chaniya Korage and Angare were both disabled physically.

The grass and plants at the spot were in a mess, as dead body was dragged ant the shawl tied round the neck was loose and not properly tied to the branch of a tree.

Based on a complain by Geetha’s brother, police detained Dileep, a resident of Devinagar for enquiry. Investigation is on.