The hunt for the man who allegedly raped and drowned a 15-year-old girl in Phnom Penh on Sunday night ramped up yesterday following reports from witnesses, according to leading investigators.

Police detained two males, aged 17 and 20, yesterday in connection with the crime but released them after a “detailed statement” they provided exonerated the pair and gave investigators a solid lead, according to James McCabe, director of the Phnom Penh-based Child Protection Unit, who assisted in the investigation.

The victim, Choub Srey Pov, was visiting family in a mostly Vietnamese village for Chinese New Year.

Her unclothed body was found at 6pm on Sunday, dumped in the reeds near the Tonle Bassac River after she had briefly gone missing.

McCabe described the witnesses statement as “fruitful” and said that “an individual is being pursued”.

Meng Vimeandara, an investigator with the Meanchey district police, confirmed that police were hunting for a single suspect.

Additional reporting by Kong Meta