Missing youths found dead

Idukki: Two

youths

, who were apparently in a relationship, were

found

dead near

Palkulamedu

tourism destination near Kanjikuzhi in Idukki on Monday. The deceased were identified as Marootimootil Vivek, 21, and Moonukandathil Sivaganga,19, of Odakkacity in Adimali. Police said the duo went

missing

on April 13 night. The bike that was used to travel was found abandoned at Palkulamedu on April 15.

The body was found hanging in a tree inside a private land bordering Idukki Nagarampara forest range on Monday. A team led by Idukki deputy ranger Joji Jacob found the bodies as part of the search launched for them inside the forest. According to Kanjkuzhi circle inspector Siby Thomas, Sivaganga went missing from her house around 7.15pm last Tuesday. Adimali police have registered a missing case based on a complaint filed by her family.

Police later collected CCTV footages of the youths travelling on a bike last Tuesday. The postmortem of the bodies will be held at Kottayam Medical College on Tuesday. While Vivek was the employee of a private firm at Adimaly, Sivaganga was a first-year degree student at a college in Irinjalakuda.