Hyderabad, Dec 1 (IANS): The last phone call made by the woman veterinarian, who was gang-raped and murdered near the Outer Ring Road on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Wednesday night, helped the police crack the case.

According to the police, Mohammed Arif, the truck driver and the main accused, had given her his mobile number to gain her confidence before committing the crime along with another driver and two cleaners.

When the victim returned to Tondupally toll gate on Outer Ring Road at around 9 p.m. to collect her parked scooty, Arif came to her and said that her vehicle was punctured. He offered to help her by sending the two-wheeler through his cleaner to the repair shop.

The victim was reluctant but Arif gave her his mobile number to gain her confidence. When the cleaner did not return with the bike after 15 minutes and Arif was also not around, she called him. When the accused returned, they caught hold of her and committed the crime.

Analysis of the victim's call data led the investigators to Arif. Subsequently, three other accused were also arrested.

The police revealed that the perpetrators of the horrendous crime raped the victim one by one between 9.30 p.m. and 10.20 p.m.

According to the police report, they showed no mercy when the victim kept crying for help. They also forcibly put liquor in her mouth while sexually assaulting her.

After committing the crime, they took the victim, who was apparently unconscious, to the truck cabin. The accused even sexually assaulted her on the truck before heading towards Shadnagar town.

The investigations revealed that the victim died of asphyxiation as the accused had held her mouth and nose tightly.

After reaching near Shadnagar town, the accused had doubts that the victim may still be alive. They not only dumped her under a culvert, but also set her afire.

The police said the accused had noted the victim parking her vehicle at 6 p.m. and while consuming liquor hatched a plan to commit the crime. They deflated the rear tyre of the Scooty to trap the victim when she returned later to take back her vehicle.

A magistrate in Shadnagar town, about 50 km from Hyderabad, on Saturday remanded the accused to judicial custody for 14 days. The magistrate was brought to the Shadnagar police station as the accused could not be escorted to court due to protesters outside the police station demanding death for the accused.

The accused were later shifted to the Cherlapally Jail in Hyderabad amid tight security.