A second autopsy is being conducted on Friday on 15-year-old British tourist Scarlette Keeling, who was found dead at a beach on February 14. The autopsy will help to ascertain the cause of the teenager's death.
The Goa Police had initially concluded after the first autopsy that the British girl had died due to drowning. However, Fiona MacKeown, the girl's mother, suspected foul play and claimed that the police was trying to cover up the case.
She said she saw bruises on her daughter's body and suspected that Scarlette could have been raped and then murdered.
After immense pressure from Fiona, the state police agreed to conduct a second autopsy. The autopsy, which is being carried out at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, is being conducted by a panel of three doctors. The autopsy is being supervised by Sub Divisional Magistrate (Mapusa) Mahesh Khorjuenkar.
As per the procedure, three witnesses apart from the mother of the deceased will also be present.
Bosco George, Superintendent of Police Goa (North), said the autopsy will help
ascertain the cause for the death and added that the same was being conducted as requested by the mother of the deceased.
The further course of investigation into the case will be taken up based on the second autopsy report. There are allegations that the victim may have fallen prey to a drug mafia in Goa. The mother of the girl had also alleged that there were witnesses to the incident and they may have fled fearing the drug mafia.
Friends and relatives of Scarlette say the death by drowning theory is hard to buy as she always considered the water to be her second home and was very comfortable in water.
The initial version of the police on the bruises found on Scarlette's body stated that she may have sustained those injuries while trying to save herself.
However, now the second autopsy report is expected to give a clearer picture, the police said.
The probe is now being supervised directly by Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamath. He has assured the Scarlette's mother that he has directed the state police to keep him updated about the details of the investigation.