Sister of missing Latvian woman claims murder, while cops suspect suicide

Liga (right) with her sister Ilze, who had accompanied her to India

The team of around 60 police officers from the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of the Kerala police, formed to look for missing Latvian national Liga Skromane, 33, whose body was finally found in a marshy plot amidst mangroves on Friday, are awaiting the postmortem report. The team suspects that Liga either died a natural death or may have committed suicide, but her sister refuses to accept their version.

The boat that was tied close to where Liga's body was found

Liga's younger sister, Ilze, 32, who identified the body on Saturday, is convinced it is murder. She has listed for reasons why she thinks so. She says that a jacket found on the body did not belong to her sister. "I had helped my sister pack for the trip to India, and she did not have any jacket. The police need to probe this."

Missing poster of Liga Skromane

Next, she says, was a slipper found near the body, which is also not Liga's. Then, Ilze, says, there was a boat tied near the spot. There are only two ways that the spot where the body was found can be reached from the beach side (the other side is marshy land). The boat that one has to stand in and pull oneself across with the rope tied to a palm tree and cannot be done by a woman alone. Which means, Ilze says, Liga must have been with somebody.

Lastly, says Ilze, was the position of the body when it was found. She says the position does not tie in with either suicide or natural death. Liga's head was separated from her body and her legs were spread. Ilze says she checked her doctors said the head cannot get separated even if the body is mutilated or highly decomposed.

"We are not satisfied with the ongoing probe. Ever since Liga went missing, the police did nothing to trace her. It was only after we approached the consulate, ministers and local media that the police started the search," said Ilze to mid-day from Thiruvananthapuram.

Liga was depressed
Ilze, who works with a beauty parlour in Ireland, says Liga worked as a PR professional back home and after shifting to Ireland, took up work as a florist. She later moved to the countryside, where she started waiting tables. Liga's husband, Andrew, works as an organic farmer. The couple does not have children.

In August 2017, Liga experienced a traumatic personal incident, that Ilze does not want to share, and slipped into depression. She even stopped going to work. "We tried all kinds of treatments there but they did not work much. Also, apart from depression, Liga had insomnia and took up smoking. After some extensive research, we learnt about Dharma Ayurveda in Kerala and came here."

The trip begins
Ilze says they came to Kerala on February 3 this year, and spent February 4 to February 7 at Mata Amritanandamayi's ashram. We then stayed at a beach resort till February 21 and finally came to Dharma Ayurveda centre where we were to stay for six weeks for Liga's various ayurvedic treatments.

"She had been feeling very good and more energetic after the treatment began. She was even keen on quitting smoking and was enjoying her yoga sessions," Ilze said. However, on March 14, Liga left the centre at 6.20 am and was never seen alive after that. Ilze had announced a cash reward for clues on Liga.

Tulsidas, 62, who helped Ilze search for Liga, said, "During our search, a local auto driver, Shaji, informed us that he had dropped Liga to Kovalam beach, which is almost 35 kilometres from the treatment centre, and that she was travelling alone." Ilze later found out that her sister had Rs 2,000 on her that morning, and an imported cigarette and lighter. She had not taken anything else.

Police speak
Manoj Abraham, IG of Police (Thiruvanthapuram Range) said, "The police were quick to form a SIT comprising 60 cops and eight police officers, who fanned out all over, including Mangalore, Chennai and Bangalore. As the body was found in a decomposed state there were no clinching injuries visible on the body. The head can get separated due to high decomposition.

We are now awaiting the postmortem report from the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram." When asked if they were certain that the remains were that of Liga, the officer said that was ascertained on the basis of the belongings at the spot. However, her DNA report is awaited. When told that Liga's sister did not believe it was a suicide or natural death, the officer refused to comment stating that they were awaiting the postmortem report.

City forensics expert says
A senior forensics expert from Nair Medical College said the forensics team at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, should send tissue samples of the severed body parts (limbs and neck) to the histopathology department, to rule out if it was due to a sharp-edge anti-mortem or postmortem injury or due to natural decomposition. And, to rule out any sexual abuse, the swab should be taken and bite marks should be looked for on the body.

Also, the samples should be preserved to rule out any poisoning or drug overdose. The Nair doctor does not feel that Liga's death was natural. He said she was very young and other than post traumatic depression did not have any health issues. He, however, said the limbs and head mush have got separated as the body was highly decomposed, and may have been gnawed on by strays and insects, which may have loosened the ligaments.

Also read: Year-old body of woman found in plastic barrel in Kerala

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