DNA test confirms decomposed body in Kerala is Latvian's

The DNA test of a highly decomposed body found near Kovalam in Kerala last week confirmed on Thursday that it was of a Latvian woman who went missing last month.

The DNA sample was matched with Iizie -- the sister of missing 33-year-old Liga Skromane -- who had earlier confirmed the body was her sister's.

After meeting state police chief Loknath Behra, Ilzie told the media that she was content with the way the police were probing the case.

"We are now waiting for final medical reports which will make everything clear," she said.

The officials of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology on Thursday submitted the findings at a court here and also conveyed it to the police probe team.

Earlier, the police suspected that the death of the tourist was due to poisoning caused by eating a fruit found commonly in the marshy area where the body was found with the head severed from the body.

The police have picked up a few people from the quiet and secluded place which is frequented by small-time drugs traders who supply it to tourists.

Liga and Ilzie came to Kerala for ayurvedic treatment at a facility on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram.

She went missing on March 14 and was last reported to have taken an auto-rickshaw to Kovalam. She was not carrying a passport or mobile phone with her.

The auto-rickshaw driver who dropped her at Kovalam identified that Liga did not have any bag with her. He also said the jacket found with Liga was not the one she was wearing when she rode with him.

--IANS

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