THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Exactly a decade after the Nirbhaya rape case, when a brave girl fought hard as she was gang raped on a moving bus and thrown, sparking off nationwide protests leading to the arrest and death sentence of all except one minor rapist, a young girl student was raped by the bus driver from Zuarinagar on Sunday night in Panjim while she came to the city for a Christmas party with 13 other friends.
As the investigation into the shocking rape of a girl student began, the concerned citizens across the State have flayed the law and order situation in Goa as far as the safety of women is concerned.
The accused bus driver 35-year-old Chandrashekhar Lamani, who was reportedly going to get married soon, will now have to face an investigation for the charges of rape under Section 376 of the IPC.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said, “In 90 per cent of the rape cases the accused are found to be known to the victims. Goans should stop having trust in unknown persons unnecessarily, as these are the persons who commit crimes like rape.”
A young girl was raped by the bus driver from Zuarinagar on Sunday night in Panjim while she came to the city for a Christmas party with 13 other friends. The Women's Police Station, Panjim arrested Chandrashekhar from Zuarinagar, Birla-Verna. He was sent to four days of police custody by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC).
The incident occurred when the accused driver committed the crime while the bus was parked at Patto-Panjim.
WHERE ARE THE SMART CITY CCTV CAMERAS WHICH SHOULD HAVE GIVEN FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT
The Smart City project in Panjim has invested crores of rupees in installing CCTV systems in every nook and corner of the city. However, the commissioning of the entire camera network into surveillance may only happen by March 2023.
Criticising the law-and-order system in Goa, Senior Advocate Radharao Gracias said, “In Goa the police are so corrupt that nothing works unless you pay the police. Unless you bribe the police, there won’t be a fair investigation on your complaint,” he said.
“The conviction rate of such cases is very low as the investigation is poor. Investigations are predetermined as police are bribed,” he added.
Social activist Trajano D'Mello said, “The cases of crimes against women in Goa have become so common that it doesn’t even disturb the sensitivity of our society. There is no fear of law and order in Goa.”
“People do not care or fear the law enforcement agencies. The women are least safe in Goa. If a woman in Goa goes out and comes home safe it is because of God and not because of the law enforcement in Goa,” D’Mello.
In Goa policing is at an all-time low. It appears police are revenue generation instrument. The judicial system has not lived up to society's expectations giving an impression to culprits that the law shall not catch up, said Senior Advocate Cleofato Coutinho.
Convenor of Bailancho Saad Sabina Martins said, “Panjim is full of tourists and revellers at present. But there is a lack of patrolling and surveillance systems to keep a check on criminal activities. Patto is a parking place for vehicles, but there is very little for the security of women in these areas.”
There is a need for speedy trial in this matter without causing any hassle to the victim girl,” she demanded.
THE MORMUGAO school girl rape case: For 10 years they couldn’t find the rapist
The track record of investigation into sensitive rape cases in Goa has been unsatisfactory in the past. It may be recalled that on January 14, 2013, a minor school girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in the school toilet and the police had filed a case of negligence against the headmistress, the school management, and others.
Later, the rape case was handed over to the CBI for further investigation, while the Mormugao Police investigated the negligence aspect.
However, neither the police nor the CBI has managed to get their hands on the accused person for close to a decade now. The CBI examined 14 suspects in the case and recently even arrested a suspect. However, he was released as they failed to establish any clinching evidence against him.
