BURNLEY: Police have arrested two men on suspicion of rape and murder in connection with the deaths of an Asian doctor and her teenage daughter. The men, from Burnley, aged 51 and 56, were detained at about 7pm on Sunday, both on suspicion of two counts of murder, two counts of rape and one of arson with intent to endanger life.
Dr Saman Mir Sacharvi, 49, and Vian Mangrio, 14, were found dead inside their fire and smoke-damaged house in Burnley, Lancashire, by police at about 8.45am on Thursday.
Police officers investigating the deaths have been given extra time to question a man arrested on suspicion of their murders. The 51-year-old man, from Burnley, was arrested on suspicion of two counts of murder, two of rape and one of arson with intent to endanger life following the deaths of Dr Saman and Vian Mangrio.
The second man who had been arrested on suspicion of the same offences was released without charge. Detective Superintendent Jon Holmes, Head of Major Crime at Lancashire Police, said: “Our thoughts remain with Saman and Vian’s family and we have specially-trained officers supporting them at this awful time. On Sunday we arrested two men but one has been released. The second man remains in custody and today we have been granted more time to question him.”
A Home Office post-mortem examination on Dr Sacharvi showed on Saturday that she died from pressure to her neck and that she was also assaulted before she died.
Tests have shown Miss Mangrio was badly burnt, but officials have not yet determined the cause of her death.
Officers who attended the house on Colne Road, Burnley, discovered their bodies along with evidence of fire and smoke inside. Miss Mangrio was a pupil at Marsden Heights School in nearby Nelson.
Lancashire Police are continuing to urge anybody with information about their deaths to make contact with them as soon as possible.
Anyone with information can contact police quoting log 0298 of October 1, or independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.