From Mopa airport to Mapusa court, Luthras were escorted under unprecedented security
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra while leaving the Mapusa court under heavy police escort.
MAPUSA
Goans pride themselves on their legendary hospitality. This week, that reputation appeared to extend beyond tourists – right into the arms of the Goa Police.
From the moment Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were flown in from Delhi on Wednesday morning, the accused brothers were cocooned in what many observers described as extraordinary, almost VIP-level security, raising uncomfortable questions about who gets special treatment in the criminal justice system.
At Mopa airport, senior police officers formed a tight security ring around the brothers, ensuring no public or media access. The hospitality did not end there. The same drill was meticulously repeated at every stage of the process – from the journey to the Siolim Primary Health Centre and later to the district hospital in Mapusa for mandatory medical checks, where an unusually large police presence had already been deployed.
The most telling spectacle unfolded at the Anjuna Police Station. Both main gates of the police station were shut from morning, effectively sealing the premises. The station itself resembled a fortress, while the media was pushed off the premises and left to fend for itself on the roadside – a rare sight in routine criminal investigations.
When the Luthra brothers finally arrived, they were whisked in through a police cavalcade of four to five vehicles, speeding past waiting reporters. The operation was executed with military-like precision.
Even the remand proceedings that followed added to the air of secrecy. The court hearing was conducted behind closed doors, deepening the mystery around a case that, by official standards, does not fall under terrorism, organised insurgency or any category that typically warrants such extraordinary logistics.
Senior advocate Carlos Ferreira openly questioned the manner in which the investigation was conducted.
“As far as investigation at the police station is concerned, it is surprising that the Luthra brothers appear to have received special treatment. This constitutes a special privilege, despite them being accused. This is not one of those cases involving high-profile terrorists who require such extreme protection and security where logistics don’t allow public or press access,” Ferreira said.
He added that while due process must prevail, the optics of the episode raise serious concerns.
“I only hope that, at the end they are not given a clean chit,” he added.
In a State celebrated for opening its doors wide to visitors, the episode has triggered an uneasy question: when hospitality turns into hand-holding, does justice quietly step aside?
