MARGAO
Residents of Betalbatim woke up on Sunday to hear the murder of a 51-year old resident of Colva, Baptista alias Batu D’Costa, who was engaged in the rent-a-bike business. Baptista was found murdered on the Betalbatim beach.
Superintendent of Police South Arvind Gawas told The Goan that Baptista, a resident of fourth ward, Colva, was found lying murdered with his pants down and had a cut on his neck.
The deceased had gone missing from his residence on Saturday evening after which a missing report about his disappearance was lodged by his wife Santana with the police on Sunday morning.
SP Gawas informed that preliminary investigations carried out by the police revealed that he had purchase two beers, a water bottle, a chilly chicken, besides Mansion House brandy from a shop at Colva on Saturday evening, before he went missing,” he said, adding that the deceased was engaged in the rent-a-bike business.
Replying to a question, SP Gawas said the body of the deceased has been preserved in the mortuary and that the post-mortem examination will take place on Monday. “Though the deceased had a cut on his neck, the exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem examination,” he said.
Colva PI Filomena Costa said the police are probing into various angles, adding that the mobile phone of the deceased is missing.
“We are trying to find out with whom was the deceased was seen list. The police are also on the job to trace the mobile to throw light on the murder,” he said, adding that the Colva police has registered a case of murder.
