6 Apr 2013

British woman murdered in Kashmir

A British tourist murdered on a houseboat in India is named as 24-year-old Sarah Groves.

Ms Groves was found dead inside the boat on Saturday morning on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir.

A Dutch national who had been staying in a neighbouring boat has been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

Abdul Ghani Mir, the Inspector General of Kashmir, told NDTV in India: “The Dutch national had fled from the houseboat in the night, leaving behind his belongings.

“He was trying to flee from the Valley, carrying only his passport. We flashed an alert for his arrest.”

Sarah Groves

Ms Groves had been staying on the houseboat for two months, the owner told the television station, adding that she had been “like her daughter”.

Police said she was found in a pool of blood.

The Dutchman, who is in his 40s, was arrested in Qazigund, a town just under 45 miles south of Srinagar.

Officers are investigating whether he knew the woman.