MAPUSA
A major breakthrough has emerged in the mysterious death of a former driver of a former Karnataka minister at a resort in Calangute, with police sources revealing that investigators now suspect the victim was orally administered a stupefying substance shortly before his death.
According to highly placed police sources, the post-mortem examination found no external injuries on the body, prompting police to shift their focus to the possibility that the deceased was drugged or poisoned.
The suspicion that an intoxicating substance may have been administered orally has now become one of the central planks of the investigation, although the exact cause of death will be confirmed only after the forensic science laboratory and chemical analysis reports are received.
The fresh revelation marks a significant shift in the investigation, which initially centred on the mysterious circumstances surrounding the man's death.
In another crucial development, police have reportedly identified the woman who was last seen accompanying the deceased and have dispatched a team to Bengaluru to trace and question her.
While senior police officials have remained tight-lipped about the probe, sources said investigators have made substantial progress after analysing CCTV footage, mobile phone records and other technical evidence collected during the investigation.
The deceased was part of a group of seven relatives and friends from Karnataka who had travelled to Goa for a holiday and were staying at a resort in Calangute.
According to police sources, the group had visited a casino on the night of June 29, where they came into contact with a woman.
Police believe she befriended the group before spending considerable time with the deceased.
"The woman was with the deceased and continued to accompany him. Police suspect she may have targeted him after noticing that he was wearing a gold chain and a gold kada," a police source said.
Sources said technical surveillance has helped police trace the woman's location, leading to the dispatch of a police team to Bengaluru.
Her questioning is expected to be crucial in establishing the sequence of events and determining whether the victim was deliberately administered the suspected stupefying substance.
Police are also probing whether robbery was the motive behind the suspected drugging, or whether other circumstances led to the victim's death.
Police believe the forensic reports and the woman's interrogation could prove decisive in unravelling the mystery.
