Team Herald
PANJIM: The death of an alleged drug peddler in Anjuna has triggered controversy with some foreign nationals suspecting his murder despite the local police claiming otherwise. A Facebook post by an overseas tourist Jan Gravason has in fact sparked off debate on social media as she claims Rupesh Bhonsle, a 32-year-old Goan was brutally murdered in the tourist popular beach belt this week.
“Rupesh “The Blue Eyed Boy” has been brutally murdered in Anjuna. His body left in a field. Attacked from behind with blows to his head. No doubt by some deeply jealous coward who cannot control his malice toward this handsome, sincere and genuine boy who grew ever more popular with visitors and tourists I am absolutely appalled. Goa is changing and anyone who sits back accepting this without asking some questions is numb!” reads her post.
Bhonsle, a known face among the foreigners in the beach belt, was found dead on a roadside earlier this week after which the Anjuna police sent his body for post-mortem to the Goa Medical College. Ruling out murder, police inspector C L Patil said the man died of ‘consolidation of lungs.’
“He had consumed alcohol as a result of which he fell on the roadside. He had fallen flat on his face as a result of which he got bruises. The body was sent for postmortem and the report ascertained his death due to consolidation of lungs,” the officer told Herald refusing the theory by others that the man was murdered.
Graveson, who claims to be a singer performing in Goa, claimed that she knew the deceased ever since he was aged 5-6 years and was found begging in Anjuna. “I have known this little lad since he was around 5 or 6 years old. Having met him at Ingo’s night market along with what family he had, he became very attached to me and I to him. Being deaf and dumb, he always ran to me after performing when I would leave stage with the biggest smile and glee. He came from humble beginnings and was mostly a beggar boy. He encompassed all it is to just ‘be’ and was the finest example of ‘happiness,” she stated with many others also commenting on the death of the man.
Sources told Herald that Bhonsle was being investigated for drug trafficking after he was caught red-handed for the offense during a raid by the Anjuna police a month back. He was soon arrested and released on bail thereafter. “He was often seen with foreigners wandering at different places,” the source added.
One of his family members said they are clueless on how their son died; however, claiming that a group of Kerala boys had attacked him a day before his death. The police said they are verifying all the claims as recording of statements in the ‘unnatural death’ case is underway.
