MARGAO
Two separate incidents of sexual crimes against minor girls have come to light in Salcete, leading to the arrest of an elderly vendor and a skating coach by the local police.
In the first case, the Maina Curtorim police arrested Mohammed Rafiq Shaik, a resident of Rumdamol and native of Karnataka, on charges of rape. The arrest was made after a video showing the accused sexually assaulting a minor girl began circulating online.
A police team, led by PI Kapik Nayak, tracked Shaik down shortly after verifying the footage. Officers confirmed that the accused was apprehended just as he was preparing to flee the State by train to his hometown. A formal complaint was lodged by the victim’s mother, alleging that Shaik had sexually assaulted and abused her daughter. He has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the POCSO Act, and the Goa Children’s Act.
Coach booked for grooming
In a separate incident within the jurisdiction of the Fatorda police station, a skating coach identified as Rajat Irkal was arrested for allegedly grooming and intimidating a minor student. The victim’s mother reported that Irkal, a resident of Gandhi Market, Margao, initiated contact with the girl via social media between 12 March and 17 March 2026. During this period, the accused allegedly sent an inappropriate photo of himself and began grooming the child.
The complaint further states that Irkal threatened the minor, claiming he would destroy her career in sports if she did not send him nude photographs. Under fear of these threats, the girl reportedly sent a picture of herself in her undergarments. The Fatorda police have registered a case under the BNS, the IT Act, and the POCSO Act. Both accused individuals are currently in police custody as investigations continue.
