Goa gangrape: All three accused tourists arrested
Panaji, May 26: Goa Police on Saturday arrested three persons in connection with a gang-rape at the popular Colva beach late on Friday night, even as a Goa Minister has bemoaned the quality of tourists visiting the coastal state.
The three accused-tourists from Indore have been charged with robbing and gang-raping a 20-year-old girl late on Friday, while she was visiting Colva beach along with her 22-year-old boyfriend.
"All three accused have been arrested. Two accused Sanjiv Dhananjay Pal, 23, and Ram Santosh Bhartiya, 19, both from Indore were arrested early on Saturday morning. The third accused Vishwas Makrana, 24, also from Indore was picked up from a railway station in South Goa later today," Superintendent of Police (South Goa) Arvind Gawas told reporters.
The victim, who hails from a nearby village, had also claimed that the sexual assault was filmed by the alleged rapists and she was warned by them against informing the police.Police have said that medical examination of the victim has confirmed rape.
An FIR was filed late on Friday at Colva police station under sections 376 (rape) and 394 (robbery) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Following the arrest of the third accused, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai in a tweet complimented police for the swift investigation, while also bemoaning the quality of tourists coming to Goa.
"A case of blackmail, rape and robbery by 'tourists'! I have always stressed that quality of tourists should be our focus! Only then can #Goa be safe and forward!" Sardesai said.
Some months ago, Sardesai had courted controversy after he said that a majority of the domestic tourists coming to Goa were "scum of the earth".
Goa, a top beach and lifestyle tourism designation in the country, attracts more than seven million tourists every year, out of which half a million are foreigners.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Special prayers offered at mosques across Karnataka for well-being of Indian armed forces
Bengaluru, May 09 (PTI): Special prayers were offered at mosques across Karnataka on Friday for the well-being of the Indian armed forces against the backdrop of the military conflict between India and Pakistan.
Mosques that come under the jurisdiction of the Waqf Board, as well as other mosques offered prayers.
"In these tough times, we stand with our country. We support our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), our Home Minister (Amit Shah) and stand with the government. We offered special prayers today at all the mosques across the state for the well-being of our Indian armed forces, their families and the people of this country.
"May Allah give success to our armed forces in their mission," Mufti Mohamed Maqsoon Imran, Chief Imam of Jamia Masjid, Bengaluru, told PTI.
The move came a day after Karnataka Waqf and Minority Affairs Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of the Waqf Board to organise special prayers at mosques across the state for the well-being of Indian soldiers who took part in 'Operation Sindoor' carried out to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.
Recently, special prayers were organised for the armed forces in all temples under the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Department, on the instructions of Endowment Minister Ramalinga Reddy.
#JaiHind 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/1MXdeAJCDZ
— B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan (@BZZameerAhmedK) May 9, 2025
