Mystery around Loutolim 'hit-and-run' case deepens

DGP Jaspal Singh at the South Goa district police headquarters.

Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar

MARGAO
The mystery surrounding the Loutolim hit-and-run death case has deepened further with the post-mortem examination revealing that deceased Kanaya Kumar, a native of Bihar, had four cuts on his throat, besides three stab wounds on his abdomen.

Sources at the South Goa district hospital revealed that the autopsy found the cut marks and stab wounds on the body of the deceased. The officials said it is now for the Goa Police to investigate and find out whether the death of the Bihar native was homicidal or otherwise.

“When the deceased has around four cut marks on his throat/neck area and three stab wounds on his abdomen, this is a fit case for the police to investigate and find out the cause behind the wounds and whether the death was homicidal,” sources said.

Baffled over the twists and turns, the Goa Police said they are now on the lookout for a truck driver, who was driving the truck which was involved in the alleged hit-and-run at Loutolim.

When 'The Goan' called up Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Margao, DySP Santosh Desai to shed light on the unfolding developments, he said the police are investigating to unravel the mystery behind Kanaya’s death. He said the Maina-Curtorim Police have seized the truck involved in the accident from Karnataka on Friday.

“The truck driver has not been traced so far. Once the truck driver is brought for investigations, we will come to know what happened at the time of the accident; whether the injuries on the body of the deceased were on account of the accident or otherwise,” DySP Desai stated.

When asked whether the police would register a case of murder in the case, he said the police have already registered an FIR in the hit-and-run case, adding, “If the police unearth anything new, including the homicidal angle, murder section will be added to the case.”

Unanswered questions

Even as the autopsy report showed injuries on the body of the deceased, many a question remains unanswered. One, why was Kanaya Kumar, who was detained by the Ponda Police dropped on the other side of the Borim bridge at Loutolim, the village coming under the jurisdiction of Maina-Curtorim Police Station?

If at all the cops had found something wrong with the deceased, why was he not taken for a medical examination, but instead transported into the jurisdiction of another police station located across the Zuari river and dropped on the road?

With the autopsy shedding light on the injuries, did the deceased sustain these injuries during his custody with the Ponda Police, or whether the deceased sustain the injuries after he was dropped at Loutolim by the Ponda Police? Questions are also being raised about whether the deceased sustained the injuries during the hit-and-run accident.

DySP Desai said the police are investigating from all angles. “Since there are cut marks on the throat, we will find out whether the injuries were caused by the truck bumper. All these questions will be answered once the truck driver is brought to Goa,” he said.

Ponda Police role

Heads have already rolled in the mysterious case with the Superintendent of Police, South, Sunita Sawant placing three Ponda policemen under suspension for dereliction of duties.

Police sources said the three cops had no business at all to drop Kanaya Kumar at Loutolim village in the jurisdiction of Maina-Curtorim Police Station. “If at all the police had found Kanaya’s behaviour abnormal, the cops should have taken him to the hospital for treatment. Why they preferred to cross the Zuari river and drop Kanaya is still a mystery,” sources said, adding that since Kanaya was in the custody of the Ponda Police, the police should investigate whether the death had taken place in the police custody.

DGP holds review meet

Director General of Police Jaspal Singh on Friday made his presence felt at the South Goa district headquarters for what he termed as a crime review meeting with the police officers from the district.

His visit, however, assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the suspension of the three policemen from Ponda for dereliction of duties and the demand made by Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas for the suspension of a police sub-inspector attached to the Colva Police Station.

Singh said the police are investigating the hit-and-run case from all angles, more so after the autopsy report has shed light on the injuries on the body of the deceased.

After the review meeting, the DGP told the media that the meeting took stock of the logistical issues in view of the implementation of the three criminal laws in the State from July 1. He further said that he also took stock of the legislative questions put in by members of the Goa Legislative Assembly and the need to present the answers appropriately and with proper data.

He said another issue, which was deliberated at the meeting was the rising number of accidents and how to deal with the situation in a professional manner, Saying the crime rate in the district is under control, the DGP further said the meeting has reviewed measures to provide security to the weaker sections, including women and children, besides the differently abled persons.

To a question on coastal security, the DGP said that coastal security has been strengthened with the recent distribution of patrol boats to the coastal police stations. “These patrol boats will also be able to help the coastal police to patrol in the inland waters,” he added.