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TRAGIC TUESDAY
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AS IT HAPPENED
* Assaulted by African tourists, the American tries to hide in a house
* Mistaken to be a thief by some locals, he is assaulted by a mob
* He runs towards Korgao market and seeks help from a two-wheeler rider
* The motorcycle rider instead raises an alarm and a man flings a stone
* Hit on the head, the American is thrashed again by the locals gathered
* The American flees again, falls in a marshy land where he is thrashed
* Caitano Vholte was later declared dead on arrival at a local hospital
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PERNEM: A 30-year-old American tourist lost his life after a quarrel with a Nigerian led to a bizarre chain of events involving three different assaults at Arambol and Korgao in Pernem.
After being assaulted by some African tourists, the American escaped and tried to hide in a house, only to be mistaken for a thief by some locals. He was then assaulted by a mob and in a bid to flee from them, he ran and fell into a marshy field, where he was assaulted yet again.
The tourist, identified by police as Caitano Vholte, was later declared dead on arrival at a local hospital.
According to reports, the incident took place at about 3.30 pm on Tuesday, when Vholte was allegedly involved in a scuffle with some African nationals at Arambol.
In a bid to escape from the fight, the American national started running for his life as he was being chased by the African nationals.
Vholte then barged into a house at Deolwada-Korgao and sought their help. But he was mistaken to be a thief and inmates in the house raised an alarm.
With no help coming from anyone, Vholte then ran towards the Korgao market and started pleading for help from a two-wheeler rider.
The motorcycle rider panicked at the sight of a foreign tourist rushing towards him and the rider started shouting for help. Responding to the rider\'s cries for help, a man nearby pelted a stone on the foreigner\'s head, further injuring him in the process.
The locals gathered at the site and began assaulting the American national.
Sources further informed that Vholte managed to free himself from the clutches of the locals and fled from the site, leaving behind his bag containing laptop.
However, as he was running towards the fields, he lost his balance and fell into a marshy field.
The locals nabbed the tourist and assaulted him as he was submerged in the marshy field.
Meanwhile, different theories have been floated regarding the involvement of police in the incident.
Some sources have claimed that a police team had arrived at the Korgao market as soon as they were informed that a “thief” was on the prowl, but did nothing as the locals continued to assault Vholte.
When contacted, Pernem PI Devendra Gad claimed that the Pernem police was informed that the American national and the locals were involved in a scuffle at Korgao.
“Police rushed to the site and after noticing the police, the American national ran into the nearby fields, when he fell into the marshy field in a bid to escape. Muddy water had entered his mouth and nose. The locals removed Vholte from the fields,” informed PI Gad.
“As Vholte\'s condition had deteriorated, he was shifted to the Tuem Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival,” PI Gad added.
The body has been preserved in the morgue at GMC Hospital in Bambolim and the actual cause of death is unclear. Police has registered a case of unnatural death and is waiting for the American Embassy officers as part of investigations into the incident.
