Panaji, March 13
The Goa police has arrested yet another man today and claims to have cracked the case of the murder of British teenager Scarlette Eden Keeling, who, it said, died due to “drug overdose and drowning” after being repeatedly raped on the beach.

“A prime suspect Placido Carvalho, who was arrested yesterday, has confessed that he gave her drugs, raped her and left her on the beach. As the girl remained unconscious, she died during the high tide,” said a senior police officer and in-charge of the investigations.

The half-clad body of Scarlette was found on Goa’s popular Anjuna beach on February 18.

Sub inspector Nerlon Albuqurque of Anjuna station, who was already stripped of his “authorities”, was today suspended for alleged laxity in investigating the case.

The family of the girl, which had earlier expressed doubts over the police role, expressed happiness at the progress in the investigations.

The official said Carvalho, who has been booked on murder charge, and the other arrested person Samson D’souza, had both confessed to raping the 15-year-old, few hours before she was found dead on the beach.

Interrogation throughout last night confirmed that the girl had consumed high doses of cocaine and alcohol, when she entered the beach shack and was then given ecstasy tablets by Carvalho, the police said.

Carvalho then allegedly raped the girl, who was in a semi-conscious state and left her on the beach, he said. — PTI