Aussie woman complaints of rape
HERALD CORRESPONDENT
CANACONA, APRIL 18
A 25-year-old Australian woman complained of allegedly being raped at Palolem on Saturday night, while Canacona police rounded up a Nigerian national in this connection.
According to sources, the Australian woman approached Canacona police on Sunday morning alleging rape by a Nigerian national with whom she had allegedly partied earlier in a starred hotel.
The woman further told police that she had drinks in another restaurant till wee hours of Sunday, before accompanying the accused and passed rest of the night at his place of stay, a beach hut, at Palolem beach.
Acting on the complaint, Canacona police reportedly rounded a Nigerian youth staying at Palolem, who is accused of rape and sent the complainant and accused to GMC Hospital for medical tests. The reports are reportedly awaited.
However, several phone calls to Canacona police were not attended till late Sunday night.
Sources informed that Canacona PI Raju Raut Dessai, who is personally handling the rape complaint, was held at GMC Hospital in Bambolim with the complainant and accused, as the test reports were still awaited.
Sources also informed that police earlier in the evening conducted panchanama and also video filmed the alleged place of offence at Palolem. Police have also recorded the statements of the complainant and accused.
Later in the evening, sources informed that another Nigerian, a friend of the accused, was also questioned by the police.
It is learnt that the woman, who was staying at some beach huts within municipal coast, got befriended with the Nigerian friends, who were earlier staying in a starred hotel, only a day ago, after which the duo shifted to a beach hut at Palolem.
Sources further informed that on Saturday night, the three attended a party at a star hotel, and later had drinks in a restaurant at Palolem beach, after which, in the wee hours, the woman and Nigerian (accused of rape) came to spend the remaining night at the hut, while his friend stayed back, where the Nigerians had earlier in the night checked-in.
The woman then after reportedly spending the remaining night left the hut early Sunday morning, while at about noon police came searching for the Nigerian saying that the woman has lodged a complaint alleging rape.
However, sources informed that police investigation is still underway in the incident, as no other information from the police could be ascertained, as calls were unattended till filing the report.
