Consular officials to meet cops over Australian woman’s rape

PANAJI - Australian authorities will Tuesday meet senior police officials in Goa to discuss investigations into the alleged rape of a 28-year-old Australian near Palolem beach.

“A consular official from the Australian consulate in Mumbai will be meeting Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ravindra Singh Yadav to take stock of the police investigations into the rape,” a police officer told IANS.

On Saturday, an Australian woman had accused 25-year-old Nigerian Obi Okaroafor of raping her near Palolem beach, about 80 km from here. The beach, located in South Goa, is a popular destination with foreign tourists.

A complaint to the effect was filed with the Canacona police station and Obi was subsequently arrested and remanded to police custody for 15 days.

“We have conducted a medical examination of the victim. The report is awaited,” police inspector Raju Rautdessai told IANS.

Rautdessai further said that the victim had partied with Obi at a five star resort at Canacona and had ended up with him at his guest house.

“The complainant said that Obi had spiked her drinks and tried to rape her,” a police officer said.

The case, which was initially probed by the local police station was subsequently handed over to the Crime Branch for a thorough probe.

Crimes against women in Goa, especially foreigners have damaged the reputation of the state as a safe tourist destination.

In earlier rape cases involving foreign women tourists, respective consulates intervened and conveyed their dissatisfaction with the police efforts to the state administration.

Nearly 2.4 million tourists visit Goa’s shores annually, nearly half a million of whom are foreigners.

–Indo Asian News Service