Indian Arrested For Raping British Teen Found Dead in Goa

A man suspected of having raped
the 15-year-old British teenager Scarlett Keeling found dead on a beach in Goa last month, was arrested by Indian police Sunday
evening, as second autopsy revealed the fact that Scarlett’s death could be
foul play.

The suspect, identified as
Samsung D’Souza, 25, was arrested and accused of raping Scarlett Keeling a few
hours before she was found dead on the beach, with many bruises on her body and
partially clothed, senior police official Bosko George said.

D’Souza has not been charged with
murder, but he might face additional charges later.

Witnesses say that they had seen
Keeling at a bar with a group of Indian men, one of them being D’Souza.
Witnesses said that later the British teenager and D’Souza were seen on the beach
in an alleged compromising position.

“Irrespective of whether the
sexual act was in consent or not in consent, the rape case stands as Indian law
treats sexual intercourse with minor as a rape,” state Inspector General of
Police Kishan Kumar had said. He added that “The same person we charged for
rape can be charged for murder.”

At first police alleged that the
girl accidentally drowned because she was drunk, but Scarlett’s mother claimed that
the police are trying to cover-up a murder, and called for a second autopsy.
The doctors found more bruises on her back, shins and feet, her mouth stuffed
with sand, and there was not enough water in her lungs to indicate drowning,
Reuters reports.