MARGAO: As on December 17, police stations in South Goa registered 30 kidnapping cases, of which only one has remained unsolved.
While six kidnappings were reported in Ponda, five were reported in Vasco, and three each at Quepem, Curchorem and Colva. Canacona, Maina-Curtorim and Fatorda police stations, each registered two kidnappings while one each was registered at Margao, Cuncolim, Sanguem and Verna.
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All these kidnapping cases were registered under Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code along with other relevant sections and also under the Goa Children’s Act when the victim was a minor.
Interestingly 30 cases of kidnapping minors were registered in 2022 and all under the Goa Children’s Act and 27 of them were detected.
Of these, seven cases each were registered by Verna and Vasco police stations while five were registered by Maina Curtorim and three by Colva police stations. Fatorda, Quepem and Ponda police stations each registered two cases and one each was registered by Cuncolim and Vasco Railway police stations.
While in most of the cases the accused was arrested and chargesheet has also been filed in some. In some of these cases, the kidnapped minor victims was also sexually abused.
A police officer who handled such cases pointed out that in whenever a minor is kidnapped, the victim has to be necessarily examined medically particularly when it is a case of sexual assault.
“A child who is abused or kidnapped should be assured of a safe environment where he or she can leave in peace,” said Adv Prayesh Kadkaiker.
