Goa IndicaGoa IndicaJournalist who works for a local newspaper and is passionate about just one angle to any story The truth Articles
Scarlett swab report deals blow to cops
2008-06-04 10:26:00 Scarlett swab report deals blow to copsPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: British teenager Scarlett Keeling may not have been raped on the night before her death. Swab samples taken from her mouth and vagina have tested negative for the presence of sperms, top police officials told TOI on Tuesday. This deals a severe blow to the prosecution case. The police on Saturday had filed a provisional charge-sheet against the main accused under various sections including rape and murder. SP (North) Bosco George confirmed the test reports have arrived from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Hyderabad, but refused to comment on the findings. The police claim that a drugged Scarlett was sexually assaulted by prime accused Samson D’Souza and then left in water on Anjuna beach, leading to her death. The police had arrested Samson based on another accused Placido Carvalho alias Shana Boy’s statement that he had seen a half naked (without his trousers and underwear) Samson lying atop the m... More About: Report , Cops , Scarlett
Security agencies under scanner
2008-06-04 10:24:00 Security agencies under scannerBackground Verification For GuardsPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Irrespective of how well established they are, security agencies in the state will have to queue up for fresh licenses shortly. The Private Security Agencies Rules 2008 announced in a government gazette is expected to be notified in a week’s time. It states that all agencies offering security services have to secure a licence from the special secretary (home) who has been appointed as the controlling authority. In the past such licences were issued by municipal authorities and often led to the mushrooming of fly-bynight agencies which in turn caused “severe security threats”, said top police officials. Speaking to TOI, controlling authority Diwan Chand said, “Even if the agencies have been doing business they have to take a (new) licence to operate. The fees for issue of licence is Rs 5,000 if operating in one district and Rs 10,000 if operating throughout the state. It is v... More About: Security , Scanner
Death of Russian detective bares drug, sex trade in state
2008-06-04 10:20:00 Death of Russian detective bares drug, sex trade in statePolice Rule Out Any Chance Of Foul PlayPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: The mystery surrounding the death of the Russian law enforcement officer in Goa has exposed another tale of drugs and sex, even as TOI investigations have confirmed that Eugeny Kuzmin (25) was in the state specifically to checkwhether the drug trade had any Russian links. Kuzmin was on a secret mission to investigate if there is any involvement of Russian nationals in the drug trade in Goa. Moscow was concerned with several allegations of Russians being involved in the drug trade, and had sent Kuzmin to Goa for an undercover investigation. He was found dead in his hotel room in Mandrem on December 9, 2007. The enforcement officer’s sudden death had created a furore in Russia. The Ministry of the Interior of the Russian Federation had written a letter to the Goa chief minister and chief secretary on February 15, 2008, raising concerns about his demise. T... More About: Trade , Death , State , Drug
Produce It, Dump It, FORGET IT
2008-06-04 10:19:00 Produce It, Dump It, FORGET ITThat’s What Goa Does With The Hundreds Of Tonnes Of Garbage It Produces Every Day. Some Positives Are There But Experts Warn We May Be Sitting On An Environmental Time-BombPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Goa’s homes produce 300 tonnes of garbage daily. More bio-medical waste comes from the hospitals and nursing homes. But most of this waste — some of it potentially hazardous to the environment — is dumped all over the state without any regard to the norms, some of which are a decade old. Only five towns — Panaji, Bicholim, Mormugao, Canacona and Margao — have dumping grounds right now and these, too, are more than 75 per cent full. “We are staring at a real problem,” environmentalist Clinton Vaz said. “Even these towns, which have dumping grounds, are operating without safety precautions. They should be closed down and remedial measures should be taken immediately,” he added. The other towns and villages do not even have a dumping gro... More About: Produce
NO MORE PRETTY
2008-06-04 10:17:00 NO MORE PRETTY-- Preetu Nair The picture-perfect beaches in the coastal villages are turning into environmental cesspools, thanks to garbage. The Rural Garbage Disposal Scheme-2005 requires all panchayats to identify collection-cum-composting sites that can treat bio-degradable waste and store nonbiodegradable waste. The state government should bear the cost of acquisition of land. But none of the 26 coastal village panchayats has a garbage-treatment plant and most don’t even have a site. Shack and restaurant owners dump garbage either on the beach despite regular awareness programmes on how to treat and segregate garbage. The government has set up 11 plastic shredders in each taluka to treat recyclable non-biodegradable waste generated by panchayats but there is no way to treat non-recyclable, biodegradable waste. Calangute is the only village with its own dumping site and garbage is disposed of via contractors.2008 May 08 Times Of India Goa More About: Pretty
Probe attacks: Russia tells Goa govt
2008-06-04 10:16:00 Probe attacks: Russia tells Goa govtPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: India and Russia may share excellent bilateral ties, but it appears that the relations have soured a little in Goa during this tourist season. Unhappy with the manner in which Russians who visit Goa are treated, the Russian consulate has shot off letters to the state government during the last few months. “In the last few months, the Russian Federation’s consulate in Mumbai has sent ten letters referring to 16 incidents. In the letters, the Russian Federation draws the authorities’ attention to police action and inaction in cases relating to homicide, cheating, assualt, property matters and wrongful deportation of Russians,” said an official from the home department. Advocate for the consul general of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Vikram Varma, refused to comment on the correspondence between the Russian consulate and the Goa government. “But I can confirm that far more attention on matters concerning R... More About: Attacks , Tells , Probe , Govt
In Goa, the dead can’t rest in peace
2008-06-04 10:15:00 In Goa, the dead can’t rest in peacePreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: He died alone, but after death he found company. On May 4, the Agacaim police brought an unidentified body of a middle aged man to the morgue at Goa Medical College, Bambolim, which was laid at the entrance there being no space in the morgue. By Tuesday morning, there were two more bodies to keep this one company and all lay decomposing till the next day. Luckily for them, they got space in the morgue on Wednesday evening as six bodies were removed by the Goa police to perform the last rites. Incharge of the forensic department Dr EJ Rodrigues doesn’t deny the problem. “There is a shortage of compartments but we do our best to accommodate,” said Dr Rodrigues. And they do it either by keeping two bodies in a compartment or keeping them outside. Investigations reveal that about six compartments of the morgue had two bodies each. Besides, which daily three or four bodies lie in the open. Even as the sta... More About: Peace , Rest In Peace , Dead , Rest
Visitant turns morgue resident
2008-06-04 10:14:00 Visitant turns morgue residentPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Remember Steven Speilberg’s The Terminal? And Viktor Navorski’s predicament when he realises that he’s been stranded in NYC’s JFK airport with a passport from nowhere as his homeland in Eastern Europe has erupted in a fiery coup while he was in the air en route to America? Kirlov Sergiy’s fate is somewhat similar. Born in the erstwhile USSR, he identified himself as a Russian when he arrived in Goa sometime in the summer of 2006. The 60-year-old stayed at Arambol, Pernem, for a few months before he committed suicide on August 8, 2006. That’s when the trouble began. With his passport missing, the police relied on Sergiy’s personal note-book and ‘C’ form (which is filled up while renting a room) to establish his nationality and subsequently approached the Russian authorities. But the Russians refused to have anything to do with the matter, saying Sergiy was not one of their citizens. Then there was speculat... More About: Resident
Public kudos for cops
2008-06-04 10:12:00 Public kudos for copsGood Work By Police Begets ParadePreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: When the three men in khaki uniform, who had succesfully nabbed the accused involved in the brutal murder of a couple for money in Pilerne, were rewarded for their excellent job, they had a special reason to smile. Instead of receiving a commendation certificate and cash reward, PSI BH Baswani, head constable Shankar Komarpant and police constable Satish Sawant were recognised for their effort in a ceremony in front of their peers. They were rewarded for their performace in public, during a ceremonial parade of the North Goa district police. Held for the first time ever by the Goa police, the parade was aimed at inculcating discipline in the rank and reducing the communication gap between officers and men on the field. “We have now started something we missed out over a period of time. Excellence is rewarded. Besides, shoddy work will be scrutinised,” said SP North Bosco George, who has come ... More About: Public , Kudos , Cops
Kids land up at shrinks’ door
2008-06-04 10:10:00 Kids land up at shrinks’ doorSwitch In Medium Of Teaching At Std V Leading To Learning DisordersPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: In one month, January 2008, 20 kids between the ages of 10 and 13 were referred to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), Bambolim, for assessment as they were ‘not up to the mark’ in class. An examination revealed that 12 of them had learning disorders. “Many children from standard V to VIII are referred to us by schools with complaints of learning disorders. This problem is mostly seen amongst kids who shift from Konkani or Marathi as a medium of instruction till standard IV to English in standard V,” says IPHB’s clinical psychologist Dr Mita Majumdar. Socio-economic problems may not be the number one reason why children dropout of school. “Learning disorders are a cause of depression and behaviour problems which leads to poor self-image and makes children dropout,” said Dr Majumdar. On an average about 40% of the students ... More About: Kids , Land , Door
Kids land up at shrinks’ door
2008-06-04 10:10:00 Kids land up at shrinks’ doorSwitch In Medium Of Teaching At Std V Leading To Learning DisordersPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: In one month, January 2008, 20 kids between the ages of 10 and 13 were referred to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB), Bambolim, for assessment as they were ‘not up to the mark’ in class. An examination revealed that 12 of them had learning disorders. “Many children from standard V to VIII are referred to us by schools with complaints of learning disorders. This problem is mostly seen amongst kids who shift from Konkani or Marathi as a medium of instruction till standard IV to English in standard V,” says IPHB’s clinical psychologist Dr Mita Majumdar. Socio-economic problems may not be the number one reason why children dropout of school. “Learning disorders are a cause of depression and behaviour problems which leads to poor self-image and makes children dropout,” said Dr Majumdar. On an average about 40% of the students ... More About: Kids , Land , Door
Man slays uncle as father watches
2008-06-04 10:09:00 Man slays uncle as father watchesPreetu Nair | TNNPorvorim: A property dispute between two brothers turned bloody resulting in the death of one. Porvorim police said that Manohar Sastikar (67) along with his son Shailesh, assaulted Manohar’s younger sibling Vasant Sastikar (65), causing him grievous injuries. Vasant was declared dead on arrival at the Goa Medical College and Hospital. Vasant’s son, Sagun, in his complaint said that at about 7.40 p.m on Sunday the two accused assaulted him and his brother with a chopper, causing body injuries. “Both brothers were taken to the GMC hospital for treatment. In the meanwhile an argument started between Manohar and Vasant at home and Shailesh hit Vasant thrice on the head with a brass lamp, even as Manohar watched,” said investigating officer PI Devendra Gad. PI Gad said that after the blow, Vasant collapsed and his daughter-in-law immediately rushed him to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him brou... More About: Watches , Father , Uncle
Accidents Claim One Goan Every 27 Hours 4,000 People Suffered A Mishap In 2
2008-06-04 10:08:00 Accidents Claim One Goan Every 27 Hours 4,000 People Suffered A Mishap In 2007 Drunk Driving Is The Biggest MenacePreetu Nair | TNN Every day last year, 11 people met with an accident on Goa’s roads. And one out of these 11 people returned home in a coffin. The figures, say traffic and transport experts, are chilling for a state that has only 6 lakh vehicles. Speed — often laced with alcohol — rules Goa’s roads and Goans pay with blood for this killing cocktail. More than 4,000 people were involved in an accident in 2007, police statistics for the year reveal. An overwhelming majority — about two-thirds — of these 4,000 people were men in the 20-45 age group. And exactly 322 of these 4,000 people died after the accident, implying that — on an average — one Goan family lost a member every 27 hours. But 322 deaths is only a part of the tragedy. Many of those who survive an accident can never go back to a normal life. “There are numerous complaints of acciden... More About: Accidents
‘Russians not victimised’
2008-06-04 10:06:00 ‘Russians not victimised’Russians Misbehave As Their Consulate Protects Them: CopsPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Goa police is not “victimizing” Russian tourists visiting the state, states a report prepared by the Goa police and submitted to the government. “There has not been harassment of any kind meted out to the Russians. Infact they have exaggerated the facts inorder to mislead their own authorities and inorder to coverup their faults,” said North Goa Superintendent of Police Bosco George. Russian authorities had recently raised concern over the security situation in Goa and alleged that their citizens were getting an unfair deal from Goa policemen, hotel and guesthouse owners and car and two wheeler owners. It was alleged that Goans indulge in numerous unlawful acts against their nationals and the state authorities need to take appropriate action to protect Russian tourists’ rights in the state. Interestingly, police investigations have exposed the other si...
Attacks on cops batter morale
2008-06-04 10:05:00 AT THE RECEIVING ENDAttacks on cops batter morale‘The Culprits Are Immediately Bailed Out With Help From Politicians’Preetu Nair | TNNPanaji: After the Jaipur attacks, as the country prepares to fight terror, the Goa police is left fighting its own version of terror — increasing attack on men in khakhi by the general public. This is a concern that has bothered the top police officials and has been discussed at length by the police during official meetings. “It batters the morale of the officers and we are really concerned,” said a top police official. The attacks on the police have increased in the last few weeks. These include: * May 4: After a fight broke out between two persons at the Church of Our Lady of the Poor, Tilamol, which was celebrating a feast, an agitated mob stoned a police van and injured many policemen, when they tried to intervene. * May 16: Two traffic cops were assaulted as they issued chalans to two persons near Guirim. A similar incident ... More About: Morale , Cops
Chimbel pigmy fund collector turns swindler
2008-06-04 10:05:00 Chimbel pigmy fund collector turns swindlerUnsuspecting People Lose Lakhs Of Hard-Earned MoneyPreetu Nair | TNNChimbel: Fatima Rehmanava lived with a hole in her heart for 12 years, but the hole in her purse has killed her spirits and left her virtually helpless. Fatima never got treated because she didn’t have enough money for an operation. When her condition deteriorated, the family decided, in October 2007, to save money which could be used in case of an emergency. “I had invested about Rs 33,000, with the hope of using it on a rainy day. But my money is lost,” said Fatima. Her sister, Saira Banu Badegar had also invested the money she got by way of an insurance claim after her 18-year-old son died in an accident, in the hope that this money would help her distraught family. The sisters are amongst the hundreds who have been allegedly duped by one Menakshi Chudu Shirodkar, who pretended to be a pigmy fund collector for the Chimbel branch of the Mardol based VPK Urb... More About: Fund , Collector
Job Agents Taking Youth For A Ride
2008-06-04 10:03:00 Job Agents Taking Youth For A Ride Unscrupulous Middlemen Shatter Dreams Of Working AbroadPreetu Nair Panaji: Salvador and William Rodrigues were on could nine when they entered the office of a recruiting agent in 2005. They did not mind parting with a large sum, for they were on the threshold of having their life’s dream realized — a job in the Gulf. Or, so they believed. It soon turned into a story of unending woe. Three years later, they neither have the promised jobs nor a receipt for the money paid, nor documents of any kind to prove their plight. It’s a story many Goan youth have to tell, the story of the great foreign dream gone sour as starry-eyed youth are cheated by unscrupulous fly-bynight recruiting agents who promise them the earth and then vanish into thin air, leaving their dreams shattered. In the last three years, 17 cases of cheating have been lodged with the police. In Goa, there are about 20 registered recruiting agents, but there are many ‘illega...
‘River Princess has spelt bad omen for us’
2008-06-04 10:02:00 ‘River Princess has spelt bad omen for us’Locals Claim Drowning Deaths Have Gone Up Ever Since The Vessel Ran Ashore Eight Years BackPreetu Nair | TNNSinquerim: Four persons died due to drowning in Sinquerim in 2007. In adjacent Candolim 11 persons drowned, while at Calangute and Baga 12 and 10 people drowned. This year, there has already been one drowning death at Sinquerim and two at Candolim. No drowning deaths were reported from Baga or Calangute. In 2006, Sinquerim witnessed more drowning deaths than Candolim (3). There were four drowning deaths, almost equal to that of Baga which was five. The villagers do not have a record of drowning deaths, but say that the figures have increased since 2000. There is no official data to support this claim, but villagers are worried and point out instances of drowning deaths. Take the case of Ajay Naik. It was September 24, 2007. The village of Sinquerim was filled with chants of ‘ganapati bapa moriya’. Ajay along w...
Child activists flayed over Scarlett case
2008-06-04 10:00:00 Child activists flayed over Scarlett casePreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Drawing similarities between the Freddy Peats case and the alleged rape and murder of Scarlett Keeling in Goa, noted child activist Sheela Barse, said that in both cases the “so-called” child activists in Goa have remained silent, even as the victim was being victimized. “Scarlett’s image was tarnished, but what had she done to deserve such a treatment. How can the child right’s activists allow such allegations to be made about the minor girl, when she is not around to defend herself. Don’t we have some concept of respecting the victim,” said Barse. She was in Goa to speak at a workshop on “Caring for the mentally challenged” at Goa University on Friday. Scarlett was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Anjuna beach on February 18. First the Goa police dismissed it as drowning death, but later registered a case of rape and murder. However, as her mother Fiona Mackeown’s cry for justic... More About: Case , Child
APATHY TOWARDS THE DISABLED
2008-06-04 09:58:00 APATHY TOWARDS THE DISABLEDShow cause notice served to ESGPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: The assistant commissioner for persons with disabilities has issued a show cause notice to the government agency, Entertainment Society of Goa, for failing to fully implement the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 at the Inox theatre. The complaint was lodged by Kumudini Roy, who is paraplegic. She said in her complaint that the environment at Inox has been causing great inconvenience to disabled persons. She complained that seats for the disabled persons are wrongly positioned without considering the needs of the such persons and that there is no prominently marked parking area for vehicles transporting disabled persons to the theatre The notice was sent to chief executive officer of the ESG on April 25, 2008. The matter will be heard by the state commissioner for persons with disabilities on May 23, 2008. Deepak Srivastav, ... More About: Disabled , Apathy
GSACS study reveals drug abuse among children in Goa
2008-06-04 09:57:00 STARTLING FACTSGSACS study reveals drug abuse among children in GoaPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: A study conducted by the Goa State AIDS Control Society (GSACS) has made some startling revelations.If you thought that drug abuse is a youth problem, think again. The study reveals that even children aged 12 years abuse drugs orally and by the time they are in their twenties, take to intravenous drugs.Many start by s m o k i n g cannabis when at school and later shift to ecstasy and even heroin and brown sugar to get a ‘definite high’. The study also states that some drug users work as peddlers, motorbike pilots, guides/masseurs or barmen in shacks. Incidentally a majority of them also report high-risk sexual behaviour. The mean age for sexual debut is estimated at 19 years of age, with some having their first sexual experience at the age of 17 or below.The study, Rapid Assessment in Goa, which was conducted by a Delhi-based NGO SHARAN for GSACS presents a snapshot of drug use trends in ... More About: Abuse , Children , Study , Drug
‘Lamani tribe abused in Goa’
2008-06-04 09:56:00 FACTS & FIGURES‘Lamani tribe abused in Goa’Preetu Nair | TNNPanaji: The Lamani (nomadic tribes or Bhanjaras from Karnataka) children in Goa are not exploited in massage parlours or in homes for children, but in tourism-related businesses that provides them with an opportunity to tout for various sex services. They not only interact with foreigners, but also have ‘live-in’ relationships and work as domestic help. Besides, they also accompany tourists not just for meals and outings within Goa, but also abroad, reveals a report which has been assessing the prevalence and dimensions of sex trafficking involving women and children belonging to the Lamani tribe. The report is prepared by the energy and resources institute for United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). This is the first study conducted on Lamanis in Goa to ascertain their role and involvement in activities related to commercial sex especially in the realm of catering to the tourism sector in the ... More About: Abused , Tribe
PLAY SAFE, BLOCK AIDS
2008-06-04 09:55:00 PLAY SAFE, BLOCK AIDSState AIDS Control Society Figures Show Unprotected Sex Is The Main Reason For The Spread Of HIV Infection In GoaPreetu Nair | TNN The number of persons contracting HIV in Goa has doubled over the last 10 years. The killer virus infects three new persons — two men and a woman — every day. The age at which Goans are falling prey to the disease is, simultaneously, both decreasing and increasing; the middle-aged (people in their 30s and their 40s) still account for most of the new cases but the number of youths (in the 15-29 age group) and the elderly (49-plus years) who are contracting the virus is growing alarmingly. And unprotected sex continues to be the biggest scourge, accounting for a whopping majority of the new cases. The Goa State AIDS Control Society's latest figures do not make for happy reading. The only silver lining in the largely gloomy statistics is provided by the fact that, over the last two years, not a single person has cont... More About: Play , Safe , Block , Aids
Taleigao people divided over huge projects
2008-06-04 09:54:00 Taleigao people divided over huge projectsPreetu Nair | TNNTaleigao: Even as the growing movement against mega and not-so mega construction projects in the state unites the villagers in the gram sabhas, in Taleigao village panchayat, the issue has actually divided the people. At a gram sabha meeting on Sunday, the differences between the ordinary villagers and “elite” of Dona Paula became apparent, with a few “elite” members demanding that unwanted development and high-rise buildings should be banned in the village as it was proving to be an additional burden on the infrastructure. However, the villagers, along with their local MLA Atanasio Monserrate and his supporters blamed the “elite” members of the society for being quiet when adversity strikes and complaining later. “Don’t take your own decisions and pass it on as the decision of the people of Taleigao. This is the decision of a class (people of Dona Paula, who comprised nearly 30% population in the gram ... More About: Projects , People , Huge
Malaria rises with building activity
2008-06-04 09:53:00 Malaria rises with building activityOn An Average There Are About 300 Cases Of Malaria Reported Every MonthPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: Does increase in construction activity have a direct link with the spread of malaria? Yes, say health officials, who believe that the scourge of malaria is likely to increase and not decrease in the coming years. With construction sites being perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes and migrants considered transmitters of malaria, the disease is here to stay, allege health officials. On an average there are about 300 cases of malaria every month and the disease touches a peak during the monsoons. In the first three months of 2008, about 1931 persons were detected with malaria. In 2007, on an average about 1000 cases of malaria were detected every month between July and November. “Earlier, the incidents of malaria were high during the monsoons, but now the prevalence of malaria is a year round feature. We have seen that wherever there is construct... More About: Building
Keeling’s mother still wants to settle in Goa
2008-03-13 16:03:00 Keeling’s mother still wants to settle in GoaPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: The tragic story of a daughter’s death has a surprisingly redeeming end. The mother, Fiona MacKeown, 43, wants to come back to Goa and settle here. Why? “The locals, except for few, are very nice and helpful people. They helped me and gave me emotional support when I needed it the most. If the police weren’t corrupt here, then this would have been paradise on earth.’’ There is a thick bundle of papers in Fiona’s tired hand. One can spy a sheet of paper with the latest request from the aggrieved mother to the Goa police. This time it is for a no-objection certificate to take her teenage daughter Scarlette’s body back to Devon in the UK. Teenager Scarlette Keeling’s body was found under mysterious circumstances at Anjuna beach on February 18. On that day, Fiona was away at Gokarna in Karnataka. She reached Goa late in the night and was told by the police that her daughter had died of drowning... More About: Mother , Settle
Fiona wants to settle in Goa
2008-03-13 15:59:00 Fiona wants to settle in GoaPreetu Nair | TNNPanjim: The tragic story of a daughter’s death has a surprisingly redeeming end. The mother, Fiona MacKeown, wants to come back to Goa and settle here. Why? ‘‘The locals, except for few, are very nice and helpful people. They helped me and gave me emotional support when I needed it the most. If the police weren’t corrupt here, then this would have been paradise on earth.’’ There is a thick bundle of papers in Fiona’s tired hand. One can spy a sheet of paper with the latest request from the aggrieved mother to the Goa police. This time it is for a no-objection certificate to take her teenage daughter Scarlett’s body back to Devon in the UK. Teenager Scarlett Keeling’s body was found under mysterious circumstances at Anjuna beach on February 18. On that day, Fiona was away at Gokarna in Karnataka. She reached Goa late in the night and was told by the police that her daughter had died of drowning. Convinced of foul pl... More About: Settle
Doctor alleges cover-up in Scarlett death case
2008-03-13 15:58:00 Doctor alleges cover-up in Scarlett death caseHunt On For British Witness; Mother Writes To PMPreetu Nair | TNNPanaji: The Goa police has issued a lookout notice for British tourist Michael Manyon aka Masala Mike, a key witness in British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s alleged rape and murder. The girl’s mother, Fiona MacKeown, has also written a letter to PM Manmohan Singh, requesting him to take adequate steps to identify and prosecute the drug mafia in Goa. There’s also trouble for Goa police, which is facing the charge of a cover-up in the probe into Scarlett’s death, with a senior doctor who conducted the first autopsy caught on hidden camera by a TV channel as saying that the cops ignored his observation that the incident could have been a case of homicide. The cops declared Scarlett’s death a murder only after the second autopsy forced by the teen’s mother. The face-saver that the Goa police have is that the doctor gave a verbal opinion and not a written one, whic... More About: Death , Cover , Case , Cover-up , Doctor
Cops blame docs for bungling probe
2008-03-10 13:15:00 Panaji: Goa police have held one drug dealer Samsong and detained three in connection with Briton Scarlette Keeling’s murder. According to them, the teen was picked up from her friend’s place in Anjuna by two locals and taken to Lui Cafi around 1.30 am where six people allegedly consumed cocaine. Samsong left the place around 4 am with two men, who, cops suspect, were involved in the murder. The probe into Scarlette’s death kicked off a row after cops initially said it was a case of drowning. It drew criticism from the media and Scarlette’s family, which said she was “raped and murdered’’. The police later ordered a second post-mortem. It changed the course of investigation as the doctors conducting it recommendedthe death be investigated as homicide. It said there were 50-odd bruises on her body and many were ante-mortem. “In my heart I knew that she was murdered. I am pleased the second autopsy confirms it,” said Scarlette’s mother Fiona MacKown. Defending t... More About: Cops , Blame , Probe
Deadly cocktail of drug trade and police inaction-Foreign Dealers Carve Out
More articles from this author:2008-03-10 13:13:00 Deadly cocktail of drug trade and police inactionForeign Dealers Carve Out Territories On BeachesPanaji: With apologies to Vasco Da Gama, welcome to the tourist paradise that’s now facing a drugs-laced foreign invasion, fatal and much worse than the Portuguese one. With Goa becoming a haven of drugs, rave and sex, its beaches have become a major market for foreign narcotics dealers. While Russians have taken over the drug business in Morjim and Arambol beaches, Israelis run the show at Vagator. The Scotts trade in Calangute and Baga and the Nigerians and Kenyans dominate Candolim. The Goans themselves are not too far behind. In the once Hippie heartland of Anjuna, local boys are the main dealers. In 2005, the International Narcotics Control Board, India, had released a list of 248 major drug peddlers in the country, 90% of whom operated in North Goa. A year later, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes raised the issue and also presented a list of drug dealers in the assembly. But e... More About: Police , Trade , Cocktail , Drug 1, 2, 3 |
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