By IANS
Mumbai : A second autopsy on British teenager Scarlette Eden Kealing’s body by a team of doctors has recommended the police to investigate “the case as homicidal in nature” even as it did not rule out drowning as a probable cause of death.
Goa Inspector General of Police Kishen Kumar Sunday said even before the second autopsy report came, the police have registered a case of murder.
“However, in my entire police career of 23 years, this is the first time I am seeing such an autopsy report. Instead of drawing any medical conclusions, the autopsy is making a recommendation of this nature. It must be kept in mind that this report has legal ramifications,” Kumar told IANS by phone.
The 15-year-old girl’s semi-nude body was found with bruises on the popular Anjuna beach Feb 18.
A second autopsy was taken up Saturday after Keeling’s mother Fiona MacKeown said the bruises on her daughter’s body, her semi-nudity and the fact that there was very little water in her lungs indicated that she may have been raped and murdered.
Meanwhile, the police have detained a couple of suspects for interrogation and to ascertain if they had any role in the girl’s death.
“But so far, no arrests have been made,” Kumar said.
“However, we are still investigating the matter. We cannot conclude that the girl was raped or not, or whether she was murdered or not. It will be improper to draw any conclusions when the investigations are in progress,” Kumar said.
The case has dented Goa’s image as an international tourist spot.
Kumar said the police have already issued warning to foreign tourists not to move around unaccompanied or accept offers of lifts from strangers.