Police are investigating whether a British woman was sexually assaulted before she was stabbed to death on a floating hotel in India.

Sarah Groves, 24, was found in a pool of blood in her room on the house boat, on the Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir, on Saturday.

A Dutch national, widely named in reports as 43-year-old Richard De Wit, who had also been staying at the hotel, has been arrested on suspicion of her murder.

The door to Ms Grove's room had been smashed open.

Local police said the victim had stab wounds all over her body and a knife was found next to her.

De Wit fled, leaving behind all his belongings except his passport, but was arrested in Qazigund, a town just less than 45 miles south of Srinagar.

Ms Groves, who was from Guernsey, had spent more than a month on the houseboat while De Vit booked in on Thursday, police said.

Officers confirmed the victim's body would be examined to determine whether she was sexually assaulted before being killed.

Samir Shoda, the son of the houseboat's owner, is believed to be helping police with their inquiries.

He told the paper he met Ms Groves during a holiday in Goa and he had invited her to stay at the hotel.

Mr Shoda, who said he had been out with friends at the time of the killing, added: "She was an amazing person. She understood everything, we shared our problems, everything."

Tributes have been paid to Ms Groves on Twitter.

@SarahGuernsey3h wrote: "Truly pure innocent beautiful girl. Can't believe how evil some people are R.I.P SarahGroves xxxx."