Death stalked Briton in Goa?
MIL/Agencies, Jan 4, 2007.
New Delhi, January 04, 2006 - The murder of a British national in a village in Raigad district has taken a new twist after the Briton's mother revealed that he had called her four days before his death to say that he feared for his life.
Local police in Malsai village, however, have claimed that the villagers killed the British tourist over a misunderstanding due to language problem.
"He said: 'I've been traveling with these two blokes and these people are menacing,'" The Associated Press quoted Maureen Bennett as saying. "He was afraid they might try to kill him," she said.
Stephen Bennett, from Cheltenham, is believed to have been murdered on December 11 at Malsai village near Roha in Raigad district by a group of irate villagers for allegedly molesting a woman.
Bennett had also told his mother that he had abandoned his hotel and left his money and passport behind after an incident on the Goan beach by his hotel.
“Something happened to him on the beach to really scare him,” Maureen said, adding that when he called back on December 7 he said he had his money and passport with him. Maureen said she didn't know exactly what happened on the beach or how he got his money and passport back.
The British tourist was visiting India for the first time. Bennett had allegedly molested the wife of certain Ramesh Mane, in the wee hours of December 11. Ramesh and some of his relatives, angered over the incident, had allegedly strangulated the British national to death on the same day. He was found hanged in a tree.
Villagers in Malsi, however, have told the police that Bennett showed up in the early hours of December 11, and began speaking to a local woman in English. The woman and her family, who do not speak English, thought Bennett propositioned her and began beating him with sticks, said, a local policeman investigating the murder said. Others in the neighborhood also then joined them.
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