Iranian woman’s body dumped in Venice canal

The body of an Iranian woman has been found in a Venice canal after it was allegedly taken to the city in a suitcase following her murder in Milan, Italian media reported on Monday.

Published: 3 February 2014 09:44 CET
Updated: 3 February 2014 17:25 CET

Iranian woman's body dumped in Venice canal

Mahfab Savoji's body was found in a Venice canal. Photo: Shearings Holidays/Flickr

Mahtab Savoji was identified by police on Monday morning, six days after the 31-year-old’s body was found in a Venice canal, Rai News reported.

She was allegedly strangled in Milan by her two flatmates, who then reportedly stripped her and put her body in a suitcase. Savoji’s killers then took her body on the train to Venice, where they dumped her in the water before taking a €500 taxi back to Milan, Rai News said.

While reports on Monday morning described Savoji’s flatmates as Iranian, they have since been identified as Indian. Rajeshwar Singh, 29, and his 30-year-old girlfriend Gagandeep Kaur, both worked in Milan hotels and have been arrested and charged with the murder.

Savoji moved to Milan two years ago to take a course in costume design at the Brera Academy, Rai News said.

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Venice launched a new scheme Thursday to charge day-trippers for entering the historic Italian city, a world first intended to ease the pressure of mass tourism — but many residents are opposed.

Visitors entering the UNESCO World Heritage site for the day have to buy a five-euro ($5.3) ticket, with inspectors carrying out spot checks at key entry points.

Around 10,000 tickets had been sold by the time the scheme began at 8:30 am (0630 GMT) on Thursday, according to Simone Venturini, the local councillor responsible for tourism.

Tourists stand outside the Santa Lucia railway station as they wait to pass controls, visitors entering the UNESCO World Heritage site for one day have to buy a five-euro ($5.3) ticket, in Venice, on 25 April 2024. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

“I think it’s good, because it will perhaps slow down the numbers of tourists in Venice,” said Sylvain Pelerin, a French tourist who has been visiting for more than 50 years.

Protestors hold banners as they take part in a demonstration against the new “Venice Access Fee”, organised by the list “Tutta la citta insieme” (The whole city together) and members of several Venetians trade associations in “Piazzale Roma” in Venice, on April 25, 2024. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP)

Overnight visitors, who already pay a tourist tax, will be exempt, as will minors under the age of 14 among others.

But not everyone is happy, with some residents set to protest against a measure they say curbs fundamental rights to freedom of movement.

“This is not a museum, it’s not a protected ecological area, you shouldn’t have to pay — it’s a city,” Marina Dodino from the local residents association ARCI, told AFP.

A woman holds a banner reading “Venice is not sold, it is defended” as protestors take part in a demonstration, against the new “Venice Access Fee”. Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP