Kerala: Headless body found, suspected to be of missing Latvian tourist

Liga Skromane's missing poster. (Photo: Twitter)


The highly decomposed and headless body of a woman was recovered from Vazhamuttom near Kovalam, which is suspected to be that of a 33-year-old Latvian woman, Liga Skromane, who was reported missing since 14 March.

The police were alerted after the woman’s body was discovered by fishermen on Friday.

Liga Skromane’s husband and sister saw the body and told the police that the shirt and hair were similar to that of the missing woman.

The police said the woman was 33-year-old, who had come for Ayurvedic treatment of depression and had gone missing from Kovalam on 14 March.

Police Commissioner, Thiruvananthapuram, P Prakash said DNA and forensic tests would be carried out for identification.

The police had formed a Special Investigation Team and launched a massive search to trace Liga.

They had also announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for anyone providing information about the missing woman.

Liga was staying at a private Ayurveda treatment centre at nearby Pothencode. She had come to Kovalam with her sister Ilzie on the morning of 14 March.

Liga went to a beach in Kovalam, about 30 km from the state capital, without informing her sister and went missing soon after.

She was travelling without a passport or mobile phone at the time. Her husband Andrew and her sister had printed her posters and distributed them around to help them find her.

After Liga disappeared, Andrew Jordan and sister had approached to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as well as Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj for helping them in tracing her.