Thiruvananthapuram: A 30-year-old woman was strangled to death by her lover and two other acquaintances and her salt-covered body was buried with saplings planted over it, near Poovar, 40 km from Thiruvananthapuram.

One of the three accused, Adarsh, was arrested and on Friday he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody. One of the accused is believed to be an Indian Army man who is in Delhi. Search for them is underway, NDTV reported.

Body of Rekha Mol was found by police on Wednesday near the house of Akhil Nair, a prime suspect in the case.

"Rekha Mol and Akhil Nair, who is in the army, got into a relationship a few years ago. Akhil did not want to continue in the relationship and got engaged to another woman. But Rekha was not willing to give up the relationship, despite repeatedly being told to so," a police officer told NDTV.

"Akhil, his brother Rahul, and friend Adarsh planned this murder. (The) Girl is from a Nadar Christian family but this murder is about a love relationship turning sour," the officer explained.

The incident happened when Rekha Mol was returning from her home in Thiruvananthapuram to Ernakulam and got into a car with her boyfriend and friends.

"They apparently tried explaining and warning her to withdraw from the relationship, when she was unwilling, they executed their plan. Akhil kept revving the accelerator so people could not hear any sounds or cries, while the other person with him, strangulated her in the car. This is according to our preliminary investigation," police said.

"After this, they buried her in the night in a pit near Akhil's house," the official added.

Rekha Mol's parents had filed a complaint and police started a probe in the matter. Police have been tracking mobile phone locations, call records and questioning several people to solve the murder mystery.