British fitness instructor Sarah Groves was found dead on a Kashmir houseboat
British fitness instructor Sarah Groves was found dead on a Kashmir houseboat

A Dutchman has been arrested on suspicion of murdering British tourist Sarah Groves on a Kashmir houseboat - and been confronted by her former boyfriend in prison.

Indian police claim the 43-year-old suspect, named locally as Richard De Wit, has confessed to killing the Guernsey-based fitness instructor.

Kashmir's deputy inspector general of police Aftalul Mujtaba told the Telegraph: "He has confessed but he has not given any details. We are not considering any other suspects but calling all people who could have been around at that time, including the family members on the houseboat."

Groves' former boyfriend, Samir Shoda, claims he has managed to gain access to the prison where De Wit is being held, and asked him why he did it.

Shoda told the Daily Mail: "I saw him at the police station and I asked him why. I begged why, why did you kill her? He brazenly replied: "I killed her; that's it. The devil took over my body".

Mujtaba said Shoda, whose father owners the houseboat on which Groves was killed, has been asked to stay at the police station, although he is not currently considered a suspect.

"We can't say if anything else develops," the inspector told Sky News.

'Sexual motive is possibility'

A post-mortem examination earlier found Groves died from loss of blood, caused by 45 stab wounds.

Mujtaba said Groves' blood samples have been taken away for testing, and revealed that "we have also not ruled out a sexual motive - but there was no direct evidence at the scene. We are awaiting medical results."

A 43-year-old Dutchman, named locally as Richard De Wit, has allegedly confessed to killing her, according to Indian police reports
A 43-year-old Dutchman, named locally as Richard De Wit, has allegedly confessed to killing her, according to Indian police reports

A Kashmir police source claimed that on Friday night De Wit smoked a large quantity of cannabis and returned to his cabin after midnight.

He reportedly became paranoid that Miss Groves was going to kill him, then forced his way into her room and allegedly killed her in a frenzied attack with a knife.

The houseboat's owner, Abdul Rahim Shoda, said that he discovered Groves' body at about 2.30am on Saturday 6 April.

Groves had been staying on the boat for two months after beginning a relationship with Samir Shoda while on holiday in Goa.

Samir said he normally shared a room with her on the houseboat, but was away staying with friends at the weekend.

De Wit arrived at the guesthouse three days ago, and was staying at the cabin next to Groves. They were the only two tourists staying on the boat.

Samir Shoda also told the Telegraph he has spoken on the telephone to Groves' businessman father Victor, 70, and revealed: "He was crying, it was emotional. He said 'we just want to put this guy in prison for a long time."