YouTube The German town of Ahaus where Soopika P was killed

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A 22-year-old woman, only identified as Soopika P, died from her injuries early on Saturday morning after she was attacked in the early hours in the German town of Ahaus, close to the border with the Netherlands in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Police were called when neighbours heard the woman’s cries for help shortly after midnight and eyewitnesses saw a man leaning over the woman on the ground.

However the emergency services could not save the woman who had been stabbed several times and she died later in hospital. Chief Prosecutor Martin Botzenhardt said: "She died shortly thereafter in the hospital. The background to the crime is still unclear.

"A large number of stab wounds were found in the upper body and neck. The considerable blood loss inevitably led to the death of the young woman." Local media reports said woman had been stabbed in the head multiple times.

CEN/Facebook Soopika P, who was stabbed to death in Ahaus

Soopika, who had moved to Germany from Sri Lanka with her family, had lived in Ahaus for a number of years and had wanted to work with children after having had experience working in youth welfare. According to reports, she was very popular, had many friends and loved playing keyboard and violin in her spare time. Police chief Herbert Mengelkamp who is investigating the attack said that a Nigerian man was suspected of having carried out the killing.

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