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British woman's disrobed body found on Goa beach after Holi celebrations, one held

The Body Of The Woman, Who Had A British Passport, Was Found On Tuesday At An Isolated Spot Near A Beach In Devbag Village, Located About 80km From Panaji

PTI | Updated on: 15 Mar 2017, 08:02:38 PM
British woman's disrobed body found on Goa beach after Holi celebrations. (Representational Image)

Panaji:

Police have launched a murder investigation after the disrobed body of a British woman tourist was found near a beach in south Goa. The police have also detained a man in connection with the case.

The body of the woman, who had a British passport, was found on Tuesday at an isolated spot near a beach in Devbag village, located about 80km from Panaji, deputy superintendent of police, Canacona, Sammy Tavares said. 

He said the woman was holidaying in Goa since February 23.

"Hours before her corpse was found, she was seen playing Holi with locals in Canacona," the officer said. 

The woman's face was smashed with a blunt object. It is a case of murder, Tavares said. 

The body has been sent to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) to ascertain the exact cause of the death. 

Vikas Bhagat, a history-sheeter from Canacona village, located near Devbag, was arrested in this connection, the official said. 

"Bhagat was earlier arrested several times in connection with cases of theft and other petty offences," he said. Meanwhile, police have requested the Dean of GMCH to form a panel of doctors to conduct the postmortem of the British woman. 

They are waiting for the postmortem report to ascertain if she was raped before being killed. 

"Only after it is medically proved that she was raped, we will add the (relevant) sections," Tavares said. "Prima facie it looks like a case of rape," he said. 

Meanwhile, police produced Bhagat before a local court, which remanded him to seven-day judicial custody. "We are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder," they said. 

The incident has brought back memories of British teenager Scarlett Eden Keeling's death in the coastal state. 

The 15-year-old's bruised, semi-nude corpse was found on Goa's famous Anjuna beach in February 2008. Two men were arrested in connection with the case, but they were acquitted by Goa Children's Court last year. 

The CBI, which investigated the case, had moved the Bombay High Court in February this year challenging the verdict. 

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First Published : 15 Mar 2017, 07:54:00 PM

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