Kochi: A week after the brutal rape and murder of a 30-year-old law student in Ernakulam, Kerala Police on Friday said the incident appears to be a 'planned one' and its probe has entered a 'crucial stage'.

"Investigation is going through a crucial stage. It appears to be a planned murder and not an un-premeditated," Additional Director General of Police K Padmakumar, who is supervising the probe by the SIT comprising experts from the state police, told reporters.