The police on Thursday arrested a man in connection with the alleged rape and murder of a 32-year-old Anganwadi worker in Gavi. The accused, identified as Vinod Kumar, will be subjected to detailed interrogation and the exact cause of death can be ascertained only after the completion of the inquest and post-mortem examination, the police said. They added that the accused had not admitted to sexually assaulting the woman and that evidence collection would continue over the next couple of days.The accused was traced and taken into custody near the Vallakkadavu check-post in Kumily based on information gathered from local residents and the Forest department, police sources said.According to officials, the accused confessed to killing the woman during an altercation but denied the allegation of sexual assault. He also told investigators that he had known the woman for a long time and claimed that no one else was involved in the incident.The incident came to light after the woman failed to reach the Anganwadi after leaving her home on Thursday morning. During a search, her body was found lying in a stream near the Moonu Shed curve at Meenar in Gavi, with her clothes torn. Published - June 18, 2026 08:44 pm IST