The gang-rape of two minor girls at Benaulim beach in the late hours of Saturday once again reflects a systemic failure in securing crime-prone coastal areas and a languorous approach in tackling the issue knowing for a fact that it hurts the beach tourism that the State is selling. The topmost priority for any government should have been to provide visitors - locals and foreigners alike - a safe and secure environment.
Criminals and anti-social elements preying on women along the coastal belt is a common feature in Goa, and which is why there has to be intense surveillance and deployment of security to create a safe environment. Also, while policing is being blamed, visitors have often thrown caution to the wind and violated basic safety rules leaving vast scope for such criminal acts. In the Benaulim case, the two minor girls were in an isolated spot at the beach in the late-night hours, fully aware of the risks involved.
As another rape shakes Goa, it will once again trigger a debate on enhanced security along beaches, better policing, surveillance camera coverage and discouraging late-night entry at isolated beach stretches. While there is a need for a massive overhaul of security arrangements along beaches, there is equally a need to deal ruthlessly with trespass during late hours given the nature of our coastal belt which is weaved into villages and internal roads leading to many isolated spots that makes policing a challenging job.
Sadly, nothing much has changed since Goa was left stunned over the horrific gang-rape at Betalbatim on the night of May 24, 2018, where a girl was raped by three men from Madhya Pradesh and was filmed and blackmailed. If we may recall, it was also then that the law and order enforcement had swung into action debating over ways to secure prominent beaches. The discourse back then was about installing CCTVs at strategic locations and enhancing night vigil. The short spell of urgency however died down very soon, and even though police did piece together a chargesheet within two months, the justice delivery hasn't kept pace.
Gang-rapes of minors are heinous crimes that shake the collective conscience of people and which is why speedy justice becomes a crucial component. The pace at which the Betalbatim gang-rape case has been dealt with sets a poor precedent, and this is where people and the victims begin losing hope in the criminal justice delivery system. It’s been over two years, and the examination of the rape victim is still not complete. That’s not all. The main accused, a hardened criminal Iswar Makwana, has made good his escape and has not been nabbed yet.
If tightening of vigil is one side of the issue, justice delivery is the other. There is an urgent need to fast track and prioritize hearings in sexual assault cases. Speedy trial and disposal are crucial to restore the confidence of the people of the State.
