from our special correspondent

• Lover, suspected of the crime, missing
• Possibly frustrated over girl's getting married to another

Mangalore, Jul 8: A young woman, of age between 20 and 24 years, was found murdered in a rented house in Mundan behind the Kadri temple, on Saturday evening.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of her death. According to the clues available, the police have suspected the story that goes like this.

She is said to be a resident of Jeppu-Monkey Stand and was emotionally involved with a young man, who has been going around with different names in  different places. He had taken a small house in Mundan on rental basis. In the meantime, the girl's family got a proposal for the girl. Even the wedding invitations had been printed.

Since an invitation was found next to her body it is thought that she had come to meet him at his rented house at Mundan and invite him to the wedding. It is possible that he got furious over it and persuaded her to consume poison with him. After getting her to drink it, he did not drink it himself, but instead, may have also strangled her, since marks of a noose have been found around her neck and escaped.

Late, unconfirmed reports said he has been working as a driver with a hardware firm in the city, where she too worked in the same firm. There they are said to have fallen in love with each other. Some other sources said he was already married and has two children. These details are yet to be confirmed.