KL Report

SRINAGAR

Police have charged a Dutch man with the murder of British backpacker Sarah Groves two months ago.

Dutch tourist Richard De Wit was arrested after 24-year-old Miss Groves was found stabbed to death on a houseboat on Dal Lake in April.

Sources said that she had suffered 45 knife wounds, most on her fingers, hands and arms, indicating she had fought ferociously for her life.

De Wit, 43, was formally charged some days back and is due to appear in court in Srinagar on June 15, when he is expected to enter a plea.

Police believe Miss Groves met her alleged killer during her travels in Goa.

She was attacked in her room on a houseboat on Srinagar’s picturesque Lake Dal in the early hours of April 5.

De Wit swam to shore and hailed a taxi but was stopped and arrested near Qazigund.

According to police sources De Wit has confessed to killing Sara after smoking cannabis, triggering delusions that she was a Dutch spy.

De Wit is detained in the  central jail Srinagar and he recently received treatment in the psychiatric hospital.

Sources said that Sarah travelled to Kashmir in April and moved on to the New Beauty houseboat, which has a number of furnished rooms for rent to tourists.

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