The Hindu : National : Forensic experts’ report contradicts police version

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Forensic experts’ report contradicts police version

Panaji: Blowing to bits the police version on Scarlette Keeling’s death, forensic experts in their final report on Saturday said there was the possibility of the British teenager being murdered rather than being left to die in shallow waters after being drugged and raped.

In a new twist to the sensational case, the experts after thoroughly studying the report of the viscera of the 15-year-old girl mentioned that she struggled before her death and that levels of ethyl alcohol were not that much to cause coma and death. The Goa police, who faced charges of cover-up from Scarlette’s mother Fiona, had claimed that the girl was drugged, raped and left to die in the water.

The police had said bartender Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho, an alleged drug dealer, had drugged her while the former raped her twice and when she became unconscious left her to die in the shallow water. The two youths have been already arrested.

The report, a copy of which is available with PTI, mentions the possibility of the victim’s head being submerged in water for five to ten minutes. “Levels of ethyl alcohol detected in the instant case are not enough to cause coma and death.”

The report also mentions that the bruises and abrasions on the body are suggestive of a struggle. The police till now had stated that the abrasions and bruises were due to the sexual assault on her.

Reacting to the report, Fiona renewed her demand for a CBI inquiry saying there were “gaps” in the investigation report. The demand was earlier rejected by Chief Minister Manohar Kamat. — PTI

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