India, June 29 -- The police have arrested three persons, including the prime accused, in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 39-year-old married woman in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district.

The cops have arrested the deceased woman's male friend and prime accused Jitendra Mohanta (35) of Garudabasa village and two others, identified as Karmu Patra and Ashutosh Baral, in connection with the case.

Patra was working as the manager of a lodge at Baripada while Baral was an employee.

The woman, a resident of Betnoti area in Mayurbhanj, had left home to buy sari and other dress materials from a nearby market Friday morning.

However, she did not return home till the evening. She even did not respond to phone calls from her family m...