India, Sept. 19 -- NEW DELHI

A heavily mutilated body, with visible skeletal parts and missing limbs, thwarted police probe in the gang-rape and brutal stabbing of a 16-year-old girl in Swaroop Nagar's Khadda Colony, officers aware of the matter said on Friday, adding that a tattoo-of three stars on the left arm-helped them crack the case and apprehend the accused.

An investigator, who did not wish to be named, said that while the crime happened in the early hours of September 11, the body was discovered after two days and they were informed about it at around 7.30am on September 13, when senior officers were deployed on Brics duty.

The team that visited the spot found the body of a person wearing a pair of blue jeans, with pieces of a...