MUMBAI: Indian police said yesterday they had launched a murder investigation after a young Irish woman was found dead in the popular tourist state of Goa. The 28-year-old's body was discovered in a field on Tuesday morning and an autopsy is being conducted to ascertain whether she was sexually assaulted, Deputy Superintendent of Goan police Sammy Tavares said.  "Her body was found in a naked state. A case has been filed under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (murder)," he said, adding that a suspect had been arrested. Several foreigners have died in Goa over the past decade or so, including 15-year-old British schoolgirl Scarlett Keeling, whose bruised and semi-naked body was found in shallow water on a beach in 2008.

The deaths, many in suspicious circumstances or from drug or alcohol abuse, have blighted the picturesque state's reputation as a tourist haven. Ireland said the woman found Tuesday also held a British passport, while Britain's consulate in Mumbai said it was working closely with local authorities.