Varca killers coolly walked in and smashed 80-year-old to death

Clinton D’Souza

Clinton@herald-goa.com

Varca/Colva: The neighbours and the entire village of Varca, where 80-year-old Trinidade Martins lived alone and went to Church each day, are stunned at the sheer brazenness of those who walked in through the metal gate, up the small courtyard through the balcao and into his tiled cottage, bludgeoned him to death and walked out.

Herald reported the incident in its Friday edition. Today a team from Herald and Herald TV spent the entire day on the ground, sniffing for clues, speaking to neighbours and camping at the Colva police station waiting for the post-mortem report.

And this was in the late evening, before dinner time for many, and not in the dead of night when people were still awake. And in the heart of Varca, where people normally keep their doors open and everyone knows each other

According to Colva Police, the victim, who was staying alone in the house, had several injuries on his body particularly on his face, clear signs of the fatal blows he received. A frail defenceless senior citizen, killed in his own home, in his own land, in his own comfort zone. It was also learnt that the deceased had no proper financial support and would even approach the neighbours for help including for meals.

When Herald reached his home in Lashetwaddo, just 100 meters away from the Varca church, in the salubrious recesses of Salcete, the front door was latched, not locked. Trinidade’s neighbours said he lived alone since he returned from the Gulf and was seen going to Church each day and to the local market. His only child, a daughter is married and lives with her husband, in the neighbouring Pedda village. From conversations with locals, the daughter’s visits to her father were very occasional

The fingerprints experts and the dog squad had already arrived on Thursday night and conducted their investigation. However, another team arrived on Friday morning for another round of investigations.  

Whiff of a property angle

The neighbours also said that a few days back (on February 14) there were a group of people who came to measure the property wherein Trinande was residing. Then 2-3 men came the next day to his place and left after meeting him. However, things seemed to be very smooth, they also said that he was also seen as very normal and attended Church that morning.

The post-mortem report will be very crucial. But the nature of the incident and the recovery of what is being viewed as the murder weapon, almost unequivocally establishes the murder angle. 

The big ask is why

Why would a man in his twilight years, living in penury and abject loneliness be a threat to anyone? Who wanted him out? How was he coming in the way of anyone, to the extent that he paid with his life?

And what does this say about our Goa, where doors were always open and people would protect each other. Doors would be as open as people’s hearts.

Herald and Herald TV will continue to be on the ground, reporting and following this investigation so that there is no slackness and the guilty are brought to book.