India: British-Irish woman found dead near Goa beach

Indian police have opened a murder investigation after a British-Irish tourist was found dead in the southern coastal state of Goa.

The 28-year-old woman’s naked body was found in fields near Deobagh Beach in Canacona, a district popular with tourists, according to police inspector Fiolmeno Costa.

The body was discovered in a pool of blood with severe head injuries, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares. The case is being investigated as a murder, Tavares added.

One person has been arrested in connection with her death and police are investigating whether she was sexually assaulted, authorities said.

The suspect had marks on his face “which could have been made by the victim while trying to fight back,” Police Superintendent Kartik Kasyap told CNN. The results of a post-mortem have yet to be released.

Police said the woman was carrying a British passport.

“We are supporting the family of a British-Irish woman following her death in Goa, India. Our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time. Indian police are conducting an investigation and we are in close contact with them,” a British Foreign Office spokesman told CNN.

Murder

Known for its beaches and nightlife, Goa is a popular holiday destination for tourists from all over the world.

In 2016, over 6.3 million local and foreign tourists visited the state, according to the Goa Department of Tourism.

Last September, two men were acquitted of the rape and murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling.

Keeling’s bruised, partially clothed body was found on Anjuna beach in Goa in 2008.

Police initially said the 15-year-old drowned after taking drugs, but her mother rejected that account. She launched a campaign for a second autopsy, and investigators eventually confirmed Keeling was sexually assaulted before her death.

Local media and a state minister said at the time that police covered up the killing to protect Goa’s tourism industry.