Goa police yet to clarify on Dutch tourist's charges

Calcutta News.Net
Monday 5th January, 2009 (IANS)

A Dutch woman has alleged that she was drugged, robbed and raped on a Goa beach but the police were not registering her complaint. An unsigned police press release issued Monday, however, clairified little.

The press note, handed over to reporters by Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Bosco George at the police headquarters here, admits the 24-year-old tourist was assaulted and robbed but neither confirmed nor denied sexual assault on her.

To verify the Dutch woman's claim of sexual assault, 'she requested to be referred for medical examination which was done and the medical report has been received. A copy of the same has been given to her', the note said.

'The complainant does not wish to reveal any further details and in case she has any further queries she has assured to keep in touch with the police,' the police note added.

The press release said the tourist, who was sun-bathing at Arambol, was befriended by a Nigerian national and five others on Dec 31. They persuaded her to go out with them for New Year celebrations to Vagator, a popular beach in north Goa, according to the note.

'She was given a cola, after drinking which she was out of her senses. When she recovered, she found that her laptop, MP3 player and Rs.2,500 in cash were missing.'

The statement comes more than 24 hours after the police refused to speak on record on the woman's allegations that bring back memories of police inefficiency in handling the case of British teenager Scarlett Keeling's murder and the rape of a 14-year-old German girl allegedly by kin of powerful state ministers last year.

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