Bhubaneswar, April 2: A 19-year-old girl of SCS College was found dead today inside a room of a lodge near Dolamandap Sahi in Puri, 60 km from here.

Prima-facie evidence points to the fact that the girl, Sumitra Baliarsingh, was strangulated to death with her dupatta. Police said the girl, a native of Tangi in Khurda district, was a student of first- year arts and was staying in the ladies hostel.

"The room was booked by Ajay Pradhan, 24, a native of the deceased's nearby village and both of them having an affair. We suspect that Pradhan might have killed the girl," said a police official.

Pradhan had booked the room on March 31 and had brought the deceased to the lodge. "On March 31, he took the room around 3pm and brought the girl after one hour. He then left the lodge around 6.30pm the same day," said the police official.

The employees yesterday morning knocked the door for room service but they did not receive any response. Later they informed the matter to the police. The cops tried to see through the window, but did not found any movement inside the room.

The cops on today morning broke the door in the presence of the magistrate and found the body lying on the floor of the room. The dupatta of the girl was found tightly wrapped around her neck. Blood was also oozing out of her mouth.

The police said the girl had gone to her native's place and left her residence on March 31 saying that she was going to her hostel.

"Her parents has also lodged a missing complaint with the police yesterday after they failed to contact her on her cell phone." said a police official.

DSP Prabhat Routray said the police were conducting raids to nab Pradhan. "Her friends were very well aware of the affair between the deceased student and Pradhan. We are trying to arrest him as soon as possible," said Routray.