Bhubaneswar, Oct. 30 -- A half-burnt and partially decomposed body of a woman was found inside the forest near Goelpita village, under the jurisdiction of Bandhapada outpost of Bolangir district. The discovery was made on Wednesday when locals noticed a foul smell and informed police.

On reaching the site, police recovered the woman's half-naked, charred body. Sources reported that the body's face had been burnt beyond recognition, making identification nearly impossible. Reports added that a woman's clothing, broken bangles, and other personal items were found scattered nearby, suggesting that the victim may have been sexually assaulted before being set on fire.

A scientific team from the Bolangir police visited the crime scene shortly...