Indian police hunt two waiters over Russian woman's death

Indian police in the resort state of Goa were yesterday hunting two waiters after the mutilated body of a young Russian woman was found near railway tracks.

One of the waiters - named only as Winnie - worked in a beachside bar and the other - a migrant worker from northern Himachal Pradesh state - was employed at the Sun City hotel where Elena Sukhnova had stayed, police said.

The 19-year-old's body was discovered Friday morning near an isolated set of tracks in north Goa, some 15 kilometres from the state capital Panaji.

Winnie has gone missing from his place of work while the other waiter is said to have left his job 10 days ago, apparently for his hometown, police said.

Detectives in the town of Mapusa, who are treating the case as an "unnatural death," said the Russian teenager had befriended the pair during her stay.

Ms Sukhnova, whom initial reports said was 24, arrived in the former Portuguese colony on April 19 on a charter flight and had been due to return to Russia on May 3, but extended her stay.

She was last seen at a beach lodge where she had checked in on Thursday. Staff at the Sun City hotel had previously registered a missing person's complaint after she disappeared from there on May 6.

The young woman reappeared two days later and said she had been travelling with the man called Winnie.

Russian consulate officials are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination.

Goa is as famous for its sandy beaches as its reputation for sex, drink and drugs and has seen a rash of violent crime since last year, including rape and murder, according to police figures.

Last February, the body of a 15-year-old British girl was found on a beach. A post-mortem examination concluded she had taken a cocktail of drink and drugs before she died.

Police are currently questioning a serial killer who has admitted killing five local women in the state in the last 15 years.

Goa has seen a massive influx of tourists and business people from Russia since the country's economy opened up after the fall of the Soviet Union.