PERNEM: To show solidarity to the 19-year-old girl’s family, who was found dead at Calangute Beach, the people from across State held a candlelight procession seeking justice to the victim, on Monday.
Hundreds of villagers from villages of Aldona, Nachinola, Moira, Bastora, social activists and people from other parts of Goa gathered near Aldona Parish Centre to protest against the collapsed law and order situation in the State in the presence of family members.
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The protestors claimed that even a common man can tell whether this is a case of drowning or not after examining the body.
“This government is blind and deaf and it’s the government authorities who are responsible for the girl’s death. Today, it is this girl, tomorrow it will be someone else who will fall prey, if the people do not raise their voice,” a speaker present at the gathering said.
Mother of the deceased girl said, “The police had not taken any action on the missing complaint and waited for 24 hours to take action. I want justice for my daughter. I want to know how did she reached Calangute and who killed her.”
A Calangute local Walter Lobo said, “The case is distorted. It is very obvious that it is not a case of drowning. In case of drowning, the body gets swollen and floats only after 24 hours or later. By throwing the body in water, the traces of evidence are distorted.”
The protestors highlighted that four rape incidents were reported in four-and-half months in the State.
Further, the speakers gathered alleged that Calangute is made a crime hub with prostitution, drugs and other illegal activities going on in full swing.
Uncle of the deceased girl questioned, “If it was a case of drowning why the doctor didn’t find water in the stomach. We strongly doubt that she is murdered.”
He demanded with the government that the police should act immediately on a missing complaint of woman once registered at the police station.
Rama Kankonkar said, “Last five years nothing has changed. People come out on the streets, hold candlelight processions but nothing is being done. For the last five years, more than 45 rape cases are reported. But instead of implementing strict laws, the Chief Minister is stating that the parents should take care of their children. If a swift action had been taken overnight, the missing girl would have been found with the help of CCTV footage and other clues. The police must have been pressurised by the ministers and MLAs to suppress the case.”
“Now, the public have to force the police to take action. Drowning cases have become a common agenda and the police have become puppets of the ministers and MLAs,” Kankonkar alleged.
Kiran Kandolkar said, “Usually families are made to cry to take the body of deceased but in this case, the body was handed to the family directly in order to close the case and destroy the evidence.”
Meanwhile, father of the deceased girl was unable to remain present for the candlelight protest as he was called at Calangute Police Station.
