BICHOLIM
An autopsy has confirmed that Vasanti Salelkar had died of electrocution in Karapur-Bicholim on Tuesday afternoon, setting aside speculations over the cause of death.
Following requests by the family and social workers, the autopsy was performed by a panel of doctors on Thursday and the body was later handed over to the family for the final rites which were performed in the evening.
Bicholim Police Inspector Vijay Rane informed that the GMC hospital dean had submitted a report in this regard after the autopsy by a panel of doctors.
Salelkar was a spinster residing in the house in a property under dispute and had been reportedly assaulted in the past in connection with the ongoing dispute. Salelkar’s family and local leaders have suspected foul play in Vasanti’s death due to electrocution on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, social activists have planned a candlelit procession from Vasanti’s house to the Bicholim police station on Sunday at 6 pm to demand justice for Vasanti Salelkar.
Addressing a news conference at Bicholim, social activists, Adv. Ajay Prabhugaonkar and Swapnesh Sherlekar, stated that though the deceased was declared dead due to electrocution, the case is not clear and the deceased is suspected to have been murdered out of property-related revenge.
The activists said Vasanti was involved in a property-related dispute for several years and she had been assaulted a number of times, necessitating a thorough investigation in the matter.
They claimed that property-related disputes are on the rise and recalled that one person had been recently killed in connection with a property dispute in Pernem taluka.
The activists stated that the land mafia from other states have entered Goa in large numbers and are putting the lives of common people under grave risk.
They demanded an inquiry to determine whether Vasanti really died due to electrocution or if there had been a conspiracy to kill her.
Others present at the news conference included activists Dilip Gawas, Ramkrishna Jalmi, Vinod Dhuri, Harsha Wadkar, Gauresh Ghadi, Siddharth Bandodkar, Hari Gawade, Kishore Divkar, and Ashwin Chodankar.
