Women activists want probe into Goa minister’s partner’s death
By IANSWednesday, June 2, 2010
PANAJI - Women activists Wednesday met Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and demanded a thorough probe into the controversial death of Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco’s alleged paramour who died in Chennai after consuming rat poison.
Speaking to IANS, Tara Kerkar, convenor of Savera - a women’s rights NGO - said they handed over a four-page memorandum to Kamat, demanding a probe into 28-year-old Nadia’s death and also carried a tube of Ratol, a popular rat poison, and explained its usage to him.
“We told him that it is simply not possible to mistake Ratol, which comes packaged in a tube as a poisonous paste, from ordinary toothpaste,” Kerkar said.
Kerkar’s argument refers to Nadia’s mother’s statement Tuesday that her daughter had consumed Ratol after mistaking it for toothpaste.
“Ratol does not taste like toothpaste. Do you swallow toothpaste? Nadia swallowed toothpaste. Why is the mother trying to cover this up? Is she trying to save the politician involved?” Kerkar asked.
“The chief minister seemed convinced by our argument about Ratol. He has said that the investigators will leave no stone unturned,” she said.
Nadia’s death has been under intense media spotlight over the last few days, thanks to her close association with the flamboyant tourism minister who already faces charges of bigamy, extortion and assault.
