MARGAO
A day after the 19-year-old girl’s mysterious death on the Calangute beach, civil society, politicians and NGOs were up in arms on Friday demanding a thorough probe into the incident.
Women’s rights activist Auda Viegas demanded the police should probe into all angles to unearth the exact cause behind the mysterious death.
Addressing the media, Auda police should not rule out the possibility of sexual assault on her. “The police should find out whether anyone has forcefully drowned her and not make any conclusion,” she demanded.
Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco too demanded justice need to be delivered to all the rape victims and their families in the state.
He also reiterated his demand for setting up fast-track courts to deal with rape cases in the State and necessary amendments to the law to hang criminals in public to instill fear.
“There have been many rape cases in the past few years including the recent rape of two minor girls at Benaulim beach in July 2021. The March 2017 rape and murder of 28-year-old British-Irish woman Danielle McLaughlin on Palolem beach in Canacona. Three years back in May 2018 a 20-year- old girl was raped on Betalbatim beach and the worst is Ishwar Makwana the main accused of the said rape is still absconding from the clutches of the law,” he said.
He added: “Who can ever forget the 2013 Vasco rape incident where justice has not yet been delivered to the girl who was then minor.”
Benaulim NCP MLA Churchill Alemao too has demanded a thorough probe into the incident.
While defending Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statement on the floor of the House on the movement of women on the beaches at late hours, Churchill, said the CM had made the statement in good faith.
He, however, said the government should place before the public the investigations into the death of the 19-year-old girl.
