The brother of a British woman, found murdered in a houseboat in Srinagar, has set up a blog as a “rallying call” for justice and called for a through investigation into the case.
Sarah Elizabeth, a 24-year-old personal trainer from the UK’s Channel Island of Guernsey, was found lying dead in a pool of blood in her room at the houseboat on Dal Lake with multiple stab wounds on Saturday. A Dutch man, 43-year-old Richard De Wit, has been detained by police in connection with the crime. The houseboat owner’s son is also reportedly being questioned.
“The media are reporting that Sarah was just a tourist on the houseboat, who had become friends with the owners’ son. The truth is that she went up there as his girlfriend,” Tom Groves says on the ‘JusticeForSarah’ web-page.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had said that it was providing assistance to the family but Groves’ brother seems to dispute that claim on his blog.
“The media are reporting that the Foreign Office are providing specialist support to my parents and brother. The reality is that they have had a temporary visit from Guernsey Police who, it must be said, have been very supportive,” Groves said, describing his sister as someone who “lit up so many people’s lives”.
“I realise that I risk sounding like yet another grieving relative here, but please, please, think if this was your sister or daughter, you’d want justice... This must be fully investigated,” he added.