Team Herald
MARGAO: In a startling revelation it has come to light that 33-year-old Rajesh Mane, one of the four accused in the Benaulim case wherein two minor girls were gang-raped, is a government servant. What’s more surprising is that the police are yet to intimate the department about the crime allegedly committed by him. He is most likely to be dismissed.
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Meanwhile, the case has been transferred to the Women’s Police Station for further investigation. A Senior Police Officer said DySP Ezilda D’Souza will be investigating the case.
“Yes, one of the accused named Rajesh Mane is a government servant and the police have initiated the process to inform the concerned department about the crime committed by him”, said the police officer.
Meanwhile, Davorlim residents have claimed that all the four accused are migrants.
“They are not Goans but they have shamed the residents of Davorlim by committing this horrific crime”, said Andrew Rebello of Davorlim. He accused the local representatives of allowing migrants in the village by providing them land.
Andrew demanded that all the four accused be hanged to death or be handed over to people and banned from the village to ensure such crimes are not repeated in future.
He said there have been several incidents of attacks on Goans by migrants.
It may be recalled that the horrific gang-rape incident was reported on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday at an isolated spot on Benaulim beach.
All the four accused were nabbed after they sent threatening messages demanding a ransom of Rs 40,000 from the male friend of the two victims. The arrested include 21-year-old Asif Hateli of Housing Board, Margao, 33-year-old Rajesh Mane, 31-year-old Gajanand Chinchankar and 19-year-old Nitin Yabbal, all from Zorivaddo-Davorlim.
They have been booked under Sections 419, 354 (A) 384, 323, 506 (II), 376 of the IPC, Sections 4, 7, 11(V) of POCSO Act, and 8 (2) of Goa Children’s Act. All have been remanded in police custody.
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Mane will be dismissed from service: CM
Confirming that one of the accused in the Benaulim rape case, Rajesh Mane of Zariwada-Davorlim is a government servant working in the Agriculture Department, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant informed the House that he would be dismissed from service.
The case has, meanwhile, been transferred to the Women’s Police Station, Panjim.
Replying to a calling attention notice tabled by Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, the Chief Minister said that the police have intensified day and night police patrolling, deployed nakabandis and PCR vehicles at various vulnerable locations and constant surveillance is kept in the areas and installing of CCTV systems by Tourism Department and also deployment of police staff.
Sawant said four chain snatching cases, two house thefts and one house breaking theft at night has been reported at the Colva Police Station during the current year.
No robbery case has been registered at the Colva Police Station this year, Sawant said much to the annoyance of the Opposition, who demanded to know the difference between thefts and robberies.
The Benaulim MLA urged the government to increase vigilance and to nab the culprits as soon as possible.
He said policemen should not be posted at the police station for a long time and requested the government to transfer those serving for more than 10 years at the police station.
