Kalaburagi, Nov 22 (IANS) An elderly woman astrologer in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district was hacked to death, with the police suspecting that she was raped before being murdered.

The suspect has been identified as 65-year-old Ratna Bai and the incident occurred in Kalaburagi city's Santhosh Colony late Tuesday night.

The victim lived alone in a shed and she was hacked to death with a sharp-edged weapon, according to RJ Nagar police, who have taken up the investigation.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the act was carried out by more than one person.

The police also suspect that individuals known to her may have committed the crime.