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.
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Coast Guard seizes vessel carrying 6,000 kg methamphetamine
Port Blair (PTI): In a major anti-narcotics operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) seized a vessel with six Myanmarese crew carrying 6,000 kg of contraband Methamphetamine near Andaman and Nicobar Islands, an official said on Monday.
The drugs were found packed in around 3,000 packets of 2 kg each, which are worth several crores of rupees in the international market.
On November 23, the pilot of a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft while on routine patrolling noticed a suspicious movement of a fishing trawler near Barren Island which is nearly 150 km from Port Blair, the Defence official said.
"The trawler was warned and asked to lower its speed and in the meantime, the pilot alerted the Andaman and Nicobar Command. Immediately, our nearby fast patrolling vessels rushed towards Barren Island and towed the fishing trawler to Port Blair on November 24 for further investigation," the official said.
"We have arrested six Myanmarese nationals from the fishing trawler and it is believed that the Methamphetamine was meant for India and its neighbouring countries. We have informed the Andaman and Nicobar Police for joint interrogation," the defence official said.
This is not the first time that such banned contraband was seized on Indian waters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2019 and 2022, similar drugs were seized from foreign vessels while they tried to enter Indian waters.
Methamphetamine is mainly used as a recreational or performance-enhancing drug.
