the goan I network
MARGAO
Taking serious cognizance of the secluded nature of the Betalbatim beach belt “ which plays host to Sunset beach, Lovers beach, Nanu beach and Consua beach “ the district police Chief, SP Arvind Gawas has officially dashed off a letter to the Tourism department to install high mast, CCTV surveillance cameras and warning boards at the beach to keep criminals at bay.
Post-gang rape incident, where the criminals from Indore, Madhya Pradesh had taken advantage of the secluded nature of the Sunset beach to commit the heinous crime on the 20-year old girl and her boyfriend, the police has for the moment requested the Tourism officials to take up the Betalbatim beach belt on a war footing.
SP, Arvind Gawas told the media on Friday that the while the police will intensify its normal patrolling of the beach belt, what needs to be done at Betalbatim beach belt on priority is to install the high mast lamps to illuminate the beaches, install CCTV surveillance cameras and warning boards.
“Let us for the moment concentrate on the Betalbatim beach. Question of requesting the Tourism department of the GTDC to illuminate the beaches will be taken up in due course of time,” he said.
The SP, South appreciated the villagers of Betalbatim and the panchayat body for taking the host of decisions to beef up infrastructure at the Betalbatim beach in the light of the heinous gang-rape a week ago.
Apart from the beach illumination, CCTV surveillance cameras and warning boards, the SP has also requested the Tourism department to initiate measures to trim the tree branches as well as clear the vegetation, including the thick bushes.
The Betalbatim villagers had on Thursday at a public meeting demanded a slew of measures at the four beaches, including the secluded Sunset beach and Lovers beach, which had witnessed the gang-rape last week and the murder of Colva businessman a couple of months ago.
Cops leave for Indore, to check
antecedents of cell phone owner
MARGAO: A Colva police team has left for Indore, Madhya Pradesh in connection with the investigation in the Betalbatim gang-rape case, to ascertain the owner of the cell phone which was used by the dreaded accused Ishwar Macwanna to call the victim to demand ransom.
SP, South Arvind Gawas told the media that the police has already established that the cell phone used by the main accused was a stolen one. “The police team has been sent to Madhya Pradesh to find out two things, one, whether the owner of the cell phone had any links with the criminal and whether the owner had let his mobile to the accused to carry out his criminal activities,” SP Gawas said.
He said the police will find out the antecedents of the cell phone owner and will interrogate him before taking the decision whether to rope him in the gang-rape case or not.
Accused Ishwar and his two accomplices after the gang-rape had called up the victim’s boyfriend on the cell phone to demand money, black mailing the victims that they will make their video viral.
