Dutch tourist confesses to murdering British backpacker

The Dutch tourist who was arrested for the alleged murder of a British woman would be subjected to psychoanalysis to ascertain his mental health.

The Dutch tourist who was arrested for the alleged murder of a British woman would be subjected to psychoanalysis to ascertain his mental health.

Police in Srinagar stated that Richard de Wit, 43, of the Netherlands has confessed to stabbing 24-year-old Sarah Elizabeth in a houseboat on Dal Lake on Saturday.

“Though he has confessed, we are not certain of his motives. He claims to be mentally sick, but there are chances that he may be faking it to avoid punishment. We are going for his mental assessment test,” said Kashmir inspector general of police Abdul Gani Mir.

Elizabeth was in Kashmir for the past two months while de Wit had arrived only this week and hired a room in the houseboat where the victim was staying.

Police said only the post-mortem report will establish whether Sarah Elizabeth, a resident of Manchester in UK, had also been raped. They said Richard stabbed her repeatedly in the private parts, thighs and the abdomen. The knife has been seized.

The accused tried to flee the Valley in the wee hours, leaving behind his luggage but was arrested at Qazigund, 80 km to the south of Srinagar.

The body of the victim is still lying in Srinagar and the British embassy in Delhi is yet to acquire its custody. Police said that the Embassy has been informed and they will be taking the body of Sarah Elizabeth on Monday. They have also approached the Dutch embassy to know the background of the accused.

De Wit has told police that he is a married man with two children. “We are yet to confirm his claims. It will take some time,” Mir said.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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