TEAM HERALD
CANACONA: Canacona police on Friday arrested a 19-year-old Konkan Railway employee and a native of Karnataka from his hideout in Pune on charges of raping a 17-yr-old girl at Palolem in February.
According to police reports, a Canacona police team had gone to Pune in search of Malik Shaikh after the victim lodged a police complaint accusing him of raping her at Palolem after promising her of marriage.
The victim, also a non-Goan girl but residing in Goa, alleged that she had met Shaikh during one of her train journeys. Their momentary acquaintance developed into friendship after they had exchanged mobile numbers, the victim told police.
After assuring of her marriage, Shaikh is alleged to have tricked her and took her to Palolem for an overnight stay, where he reportedly raped her. Later, he is learnt to have told the girl to find her own future and began to avoid her. Feeling cheated, the victim lodged a complaint with the Canacona police on February 10.
With the police on his trail, the accused reportedly went into hiding and he was untraceable at his place of work and at his residence at Ghataprabha in Karnataka.
Acting on a tip off, a Canacona police team consisting of PSI Edwin Dias and Kumar Gosavi left for Pune and nabbed the accused. He was brought to Goa on Friday.
Police investigations are in progress.
