The ongoing challenges in finding out what happened to Sarah Groves were discussed during a meeting between local politicians and civil servants and the Indian High Commissioner when he visited Guernsey in December.
Miss Groves died on 6 April 2013 while staying on a house boat in Srinagar.
She had been away from home travelling the world, and was due to meet her parents at the Everest base camp shortly after her trip to Dal Lake.
Vic and Kate Groves, their family, and Sarah’s friends, are still waiting for answers around the circumstances of her death 12 years ago, as the trial of the man accused of killing her stalled in 2021 due to his mental ill health.
In an open letter published on Saturday, just a day before the 12th anniversary of her murder, Mr and Mrs Groves said they remain determined to find out what happened to their only daughter.
“Our love for Sarah remains as deep as ever but we have found that what does change is that we miss her more and more as time goes by,” they wrote. “She remains very much in our memory and that of her many friends here in Guernsey and elsewhere. Sarah was an exceptional human being in anybody’s book, she shone too brightly to ever be forgotten.”
As well as Richard de Wit’s health challenges, his trial has been beset by numerous other problems since he was first arrested just hours after Miss Groves’ death.
Mr and Mrs Groves said political upheaval closer to home has also challenged their hopes of finding out what happened.
“The change of Government in the UK has been a major setback for us. Sadly, without greater help from key third parties such as the FCDO in London and the British High Commission in New Delhi, our chances of establishing the truth diminish with each passing year. However, our determination, on the other hand, does not.”
Locally, the Groves family have had support from Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq in his role as Minister for External Affairs.
While his ability to help is very limited, as the death of a British national abroad is dealt with by the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Deputy Le Tocq told Express he held talks about Miss Groves as recently as December.
“It is hard to believe that it has been 12 years since Sarah Groves was murdered in Kashmir and that the justice process in India has still not finished,” he said.
“Our thoughts remain with Sarah’s family and friends who continue to carry the devastating effect of her loss.
“The States of Guernsey still seeks to support the Groves family in its engagement with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the authorities in India. The issue was discussed with the Indian High Commissioner during his visit to Guernsey in December 2024 in order to ensure that the views of the Groves family are understood and to seek some closure for them.”
His Excellency Mr Vikram K. Doraiswami; Indian High Commissioner visited Guernsey alongside First Secretary for Trade and Economy, Mr Jaspreet Singh Sukhija.
After meeting the Lieutenant-Governor, The Bailiff, and the Chief Minister, His Excellency enjoyed a brief tour of the seafront before meeting numerous members of the Royal Commonwealth Society and 40 invited guests from the Indian Community.