Thrissur: The bodies of a young woman and a newborn baby were found in a room in a private lodge in Thrissur city. The bodies, found in the Nearest Lodge in Veliyannur, with the woman suspected to have died soon after delivering the baby.  

Identified as Jyothi, a native of Edamuttam in Triprayar, police said she had checked into the lodge on June 27. However, with no response and the room locked for two days, the lodge staff alerted the police. The cops forced open the door to find Jyothi and the newborn dead inside the room.

An auto-rickshaw driver from Pavaratty, who was with the woman when she took the room, has been taken into custody for questioning. The man told police that he knew Jyothi and had helped her book the room. He claimed that she had complained of stomach pain recently, following which he bought medicine for her. He also stated that he could not reach her by phone on Monday and denied any further knowledge of the incident.

Police have also found that the woman, who was divorced, had earlier filed a complaint against the auto-rickshaw driver, alleging that he had attempted to assault her in 2024.

Meanwhile, employees of Nearest Lodge told investigators that the woman had been staying at the lodge intermittently in the past as well. Police have launched an investigation, while the bodies were shifted for autopsy.