The body of an Indigenous woman has been found after a partial human leg was found on a major Northern Territory highway two days ago.

The body was found in Darwin’s outskirts on Wednesday night and NT police have arrested a man and a woman over a traffic incident involving a pedestrian on the Stuart Highway on Monday night.

“We believe this is the victim of the collision,” Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Morrissey said on Thursday.

“They were partially concealed and the condition of the body was consistent with being struck with a vehicle.”

Police allege the 23-year-old man was driving the vehicle that hit the woman, whose body was found about 15km away in the rural suburb of Virginia, south of Darwin.

“It will be further alleged that the 50-year-old female has assisted him in removing the deceased to another location in an attempt to conceal the crime,” Det Snr Sgt Morrissey said.

“It’s very concerning. It’s one thing not to render assistance and report the matter but to go further and attempt to conceal a crime is quite terrible.”

Investigators have not released details of the victim’s identity or her age.

The man was arrested at a home in Palmerston near the accident site while the woman was arrested at a property in the Darwin suburb of Winnellie.

They are in custody and are likely to be charged later on Thursday.

The limb was initially spotted on Tuesday morning by a traveller who was driving on the highway linking Darwin to Alice Springs and Adelaide in Coolalinga, 30km south of Darwin.

A forensic pathologist previously determined the victim was either a teenager or an adult.

It’s understood the lower section of the leg had a foot attached.

– AAP