Russian rape case: Goa women’s panel to seek details

PANAJI - The Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) will seek details of the Russian minor rape case from the Goa police, GSCW chairperson Ezilda Sapeco said.

“I would be calling for the details of police investigations into the minor’s rape on Republic Day (Jan 26) at Arambol beach,” Sapeco told IANS.

“My first task will be to call for the details of the rape case from the police as soon as possible.”

“These things should not happen. I will ask the police for all the details related to this case. Not just this, I will also ask for details of all the past such cases too, in order to figure out what exactly goes wrong while investigating such crimes,” Sapeco said.

Sapeco said Goa needed to work overtime to shed off evil shadow of body crimes against foreigners.

“Goa needs to shed this image as soon as possible. As it is causing a lot of damage to the state,” Sapeco said.

The police have already admitted Thursday that the main accused in the rape case Aman Bharadwaj had given them the slip. They have also announced a Rs.20,000 reward for any more information on Aman. The police have also identified Aman’s accomplice as one Anil Raghuvanshi from Madhya Pradesh, both of whom were employed at a pharmaceutical company near Arambol beach, about 45 km from here.

Crimes against foreigners, especially Russians, have seen Goa receive a lot of media flak in recent times.

A 25-year-old Russian woman was raped by a Goan politician in December last year.

Police have also been unable to crack the mysterious death of Russian teenager Elena Sukhonova, whose mangled body was found on the railway tracks near Thivim, 25 km from here.

Nearly 40,000 Russian tourists visit Goa annually.