Third man arrested over Goa murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling

A third man has been arrested in connection with the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling in India, her mother said.

Fiona MacKeown, who is in hiding with police protection due to fears for her safety, also said that the pathologist who carried out the first post-mortem examination on the murdered 15-year-old – stating that she had drowned - had been suspended.

Scarlett, 15, who was on an extended holiday at Goa's Anjuna beach from her home near Bideford, north Devon, was found on February 19 half-naked, raped and murdered.

Local police initially said her death had been an accidental drowning.

But a murder investigation was launched after a second post-mortem examination - carried out following pressure from Mrs MacKeown - showed she had been attacked.

Two men are already in custody in connection with Scarlett's death.

Placido Carvalho, aged between 30 and 35 years old, has appeared in court on suspicion assisting in the murder by drugging her.

The first man police arrested, Samson D'Souza, 28, was remanded in custody on suspicion of rape.

Mrs McKeown, 43, said a third man had been arrested today.

"I understand a man was taken in by police. If it is the person I think it is, then I'll be pleased," she said.

Mrs McKeown said she was pleased action had been taken to investigate the circumstances of the first post-mortem examination carried out on Scarlett's body by Dr Silvano Sapeco, professor and head of forensic medicine at Goa Medical College - who she said was suspended today.

Mrs McKeown said: "There was something definitely dodgy going on. I took one look at her body and realised something was wrong.

"The only real difference between the first and second autopsy was that in the first he didn't write the word homicide and once this was done in the second, the police immediately started an investigation.

"They needed that word 'homicide' written on it to start their investigation."

Mrs MacKeown added that she understood the police were still treating Scarlett's bruises as the accidental results of drinking.

She said: "Police are still going by the theory that Scarlett was drunk and fell over causing the bruises to her leg, head and chin. But you can't bang your head on the beach that hard - and there are no rocks in it."

A pathologist's report released yesterday said 15-year-old Scarlett was killed by drowning after her head was pushed under water for between five and 10 minutes.

Mrs MacKeown's lawyer, Vikram Varma, said the report concluded that Scarlett died of "homicidal drowning" and not of a drug or alcohol overdose.

Her death was "consistent with a picture of homicidal drowning in shallow waters", the report said.

Mrs MacKeown said that she would be ready to return home as soon as India's top police force, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), was appointed to probe her daughter's death.

This came a step closer yesterday after the move was discussed in India's parliament, she said.

Mrs MacKeown added: "This is what I have been asking and waiting for.

"If they take over the investigation then I can relax. That will be the end of our struggle for justice because I know they will take it seriously.

"Once the CBI are involved I will be able to bring Scarlett's body back to the UK.

"I'm moving her to Mumbai next weekend because the morgue is full in Goa and they are putting bodies on top of each other. I just want to get Scarlett out of there."

Mrs MacKeown said that the courts had granted her police protection after she said that she feared she would be attacked in Goa.

She has made allegations that links between police officials, politicians and the drugs mafia had hampered a proper investigation into her daughter's death.

Mrs MacKeown said: "We have been granted police protection by the courts and we certainly feel it will be safer.

"I haven't been able to do anything, I'm not even able to take taxis because they are all connected.

"It's quite likely that if someone thinks they are above the law enough to kill my daughter and get the police to pass it off as an accident, then they would think they are above the law enough to kill me as well."

She said the falling tourist trade as a result of Scarlett's death had impacted on the drugs trade.

"I have cost them a lot of money, the beaches are empty now," she said.

"Also at this time of year it's the end of the tourist year and they are looking for foreigners to take their drugs abroad and sell them abroad and they can't do this."