Patna-based 20-year-old labourer arrested
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Nine days after a fisherwoman, Vijaya Pagi was raped and murdered in Canacona, Goa Police’s Crime Branch Sunday claimed to have cracked the case and said that a daily wager was behind the crime even as they are ascertaining the motive.
A Patna-based 20-year-old Ram Barose was arrested around 2:45 am on Sunday from his rented room near ITI Canacona, a little distance away from where he allegedly raped and killed the victim on January 31, 2014.
“Initially, it emerged the accused is not known and the angle of investigation was very wide…we thereafter stumbled on two-to-three facts, one of which was that the person who committed the crime was well-versed with the topography of the place and another that he could have noticed the victim at the scene of crime,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr O P Mishra told a press conference at police headquarters.
The CB, which took over the investigation from Canacona police around a week ago, formed two teams one of whom was assigned to verify the movements of all those residing in the close vicinity of ITI Institute at Mastimoll where the 50-year-old’s body was found.
“During the inquiry we got positive leads about some labourers working around the site. Accordingly after the information was developed, yesterday (Saturday night) we were able to locate the man,” the DIG said in the presence of CB SP Kartik Kashyap, who was also present during the briefing. “The accused has confessed to the crime.”
The senior IPS officer said the teams have found ‘incriminating evidences’ for its ongoing investigation.
Barose, married for two years, had been staying at Canacona since four-to-five months and was employed as a labourer. Mishra informed that he had been keeping a close watch on the victim and had even purchased fish from her. “Barose is familiar with the place as he had been going to answer nature’s call. He had seen her while she would come around the place to have tea and had also purchased fish from her,” he added.
While the motive of the crime is yet to be determined, Mishra said responding to a question the accused’s initial intention was to commit sexual assault on the victim. “He smothered her to death with his bare hands…,” he said. According to post-mortem, the victim was first murdered and thereafter raped.
Prima facie, the police ruled out involvement of more than one person behind the act. His criminal antecedents are being verified in Goa, in his native place and other police stations across the country.
Meanwhile, sources said that Vijaya had once complained to her family that while returning home after selling fish, some boys, who were smoking and drinking beer eve-teased her and would often pass lewd remarks at her. “Once they had referred to her as ‘Aiyee’ and when she continued her journey, these boys made fun of her,” said a police source. The investigating team is working on this angle as well to confirm whether the accused was among the boys’ group and whether others helped him commit the crime.
CANACONA CORRESPONDENT ADDS: Soon after cracking the rape and murder case, Crime Branch sleuths took the accused to the crime spot at Mastimoll and later whisked him away from the eyes of prying media at Canacona police station to seek his remand late Sunday evening.
The anxious local media was jointly addressed after initial reluctance by SP (South) Shekhar P Prabhudessai, Crime Branch (Investigating Officer) Sammy Tavares in the presence of SDPO (Quepem) DySP Goltekar. Other senior police officers at Canacona police station were DySP Mohan Naik, PIs Raju Raut Raut Dessai and Santosh Dessai, shortly after a news conference was addressed by DIG O P Mishra at Panjim.
Fearing public backlash, a strong police force was seen in the taluka since Sunday morning. Over 100 residents, who had assembled at Canacona police station, were kept away, while the accused was inside the police station.
The Crime Branch sleuths requested the media not to follow them at the crime spot, as the accused was taken for the second time to the spot late Sunday evening.
If Sammy Tavares is to be believed, the Crime Branch sleuths cracked the case in little over 6 days after it was handed over to them last Monday evening. “The 20-year-old has confirmed his involvement in the crime and the investigating team is verifying every details of it.”
The accused labourer was employed with a cement dealer in the taluka and was residing in a rented room at Mastimoll. The accused had not reported for work on the day of the incident.
Patna-based Ram Barose arrested for raping and murdering fisherwoman
Police laid their hands on incriminating evidences against the 20-year-old
According to police he was familiar with the topography of the place ‘where he committed the crime’
Police are probing the criminal background of Barose
Involvement of more than one person ruled out for now, but police are working on fresh revelation that a group of boys would often pass lewd remarks at the victim
