Did death stalk Briton in Goa?

New Delhi: 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 Goa 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 hanging from a tree.

Villagers in Malsai, 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.

The police have already arrested Ramesh Mane (38) along with three others, who have been identified as Vithoba Maruti Mane (21), Nathuram Ganpat Mohite (35) and Kashinath Sitaram Marathe (40). All of them have been booked under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) read with 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Police are also looking for two other accused – Gajanan Malusure (35) and Ravindra Dalvi (36) – in connection with the murder. The two have been absconding.

Bennett had come to India on December 3 on a tourist visa, according to the passport police found on him. Police also found £300 and a railway ticket from Goa to Mumbai. His mother said he had come to Goa "to get some pre-Christmas sunshine" and to meet his friends.