Dutchwoman found dead in house near Mahabs

CHENNAI: The police are questioning a 32-year-old Dutch national after his girlfriend was found dead in mysterious circumstances at a house near Mamallapuram, 60km from Chennai, on Friday.
Investigators said Remco Elizabeth Martin Joseph had spent two days in the house with the decomposing body of 35-year-old Johannah Cornalia Lambrata, also from the Netherlands, before a guide discovered that the woman was dead.
Joseph told the police that some men had broken into the house and assaulted him, leaving him unconscious for a long time. However, investigators said he went around the town with the guide on Thursday, a day after Lambrata's death.
"He did not reveal that his girlfriend was dead, even when the guide, Sekar, asked him about her," an investigating officer said. "Sekar entered the house and found Lambrata's body. He informed the police, who recovered the body and detained Joseph for questioning."
Inspector-general of police (north zone) C Sylendra Babu told TOI that officers rushed to the house shortly after the guide called the police at 11.30am. "The woman has nail marks on her neck," he said. "There are signs of a struggle before death. We are waiting for the postmortem report."
The woman's body has been sent to the Chengalpet Government Hospital for autopsy.