Thiruvananthapuram: Suspicions have mounted that the death of a young female director, who worked as an assistant with the late filmmaker Lenin Rajendran, is actually a murder.

What has lent credence to the theory is the unearthing of the autopsy report of Nayana Surya (28) by her friends three years after her death. The report cites strangulation as the cause of death. Also, there were several injury marks, including on her neck, which further heightened the mystery.

Nayana, who worked as an assistant director with the late Lenin Rajendran for a decade, was found dead in the bathroom of her rented house at Althara Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram by her friends who came enquiring after she failed to return their calls.

Though the Museum Police lodged a case of unnatural death, the probe reached nowhere. According to the police version, Nayana, a diabetes patient, collapsed in the bathroom and died without receiving any help.

When the police probe didn't arrive at a conclusive finding even after three years, her friends finally decided to act on it. That is when they got their hands on her postmortem report and revealed the details.

The autopsy report has many shocking revelations. The cops, on their part, are yet to probe crucial matters like how was Nayana strangulated, and how her body bore injury marks.

The autopsy report even mentioned that she took blows to her lower abdomen and suffered bleeding as a result. Similarly, bleeding was reported in her internal organs, including the kidneys and pancreas, due to the effect of physical assault.

Nayana's spleen was ruptured as well, as per the postmortem report. All these details aroused suspicion that the young director could have been murdered.

Meanwhile, police have come to the assessment that her death is a case of suicide. However, the cops made it clear that the inquiry is far from over.

Nayana Surya is the daughter of Dinesh and Sheela, both natives of Azheekkal. She directed the film 'Pakshikalude Manam' (The Smell of Birds), which is part of a 10-film anthology titled 'Cross Road'. She has also directed numerous ad films.