COIMBATORE: The mysterious death of a 22-year-old girl in Salem has turned out to be a suspected case of murder by her father.

The deceased, Varshini, daughter of Varadarajan (52) and Usha (43), from Tirunelveli, was pursuing her final year in Homoeopathy in Salem, and stayed in a rented house with another student.

On Wednesday morning, the girl’s roommate found the house locked from the outside and Varshini lying dead inside. Initial probe revealed that her parents were upset over her relationship with a married man with children from Tirunelveli.

Police said Varadarajan had met his daughter in Salem on Tuesday night, and his whereabouts are unknown thereafter. “The strangulation marks and scratches have confirmed her death to be a murder,” police said.

A case has been registered.