PANJIM: The deaths of two tourists – one a teenager – under perplexing circumstances at separate rave party venues in Anjuna and Vagator have not only left their families in agony but also exposed a disturbing lack of progress in the police investigation, leaving the public wondering if the authorities are either incompetent or indifferent.
In the first incident, reported on New Year’s Day, Sanjay Santosh, a 19-year-old who had come to Goa with friends from Kottayam, Kerala, was found dancing at ‘Dream Beach’ during a New Year's Eve rave party. Witnesses reported that the youth, in a frenzied state, ended up dancing on the massive speakers that were disturbing the peace of the night. An eight-second video circulating on social media clearly captures the youth dancing on December 31st.
Unnamed police sources told O Heraldo that Santosh was brutally assaulted by bouncers and forcibly ejected from the venue.
When Santosh failed to return to the hotel room, his friends filed a missing complaint with the Anjuna Police on January 1. Three days later, on January 4, the youth’s body was discovered in a decomposed state at Morjim beach. The post-mortem revealed assault injuries, including a broken rib. Pernem PI Sachin Lokre, when questioned about the incident, confirmed injuries and said that their “investigation is ongoing”. On being asked about the video footage, he said he was aware about it. Regarding the injuries, Lokre said he had written to the Anjuna police to investigate into the matter. When questioned whether it was a case of murder, the Pernem PI said that it was merely “hearsay”. He, however, admitted that he had watched the video where the youth was partying on the open beach. Lokre also told O Heraldo that they are awaiting the diatom report. “For the diatom study, a sample of water from the Anjuna Beach where he was missing and another one from the Morjim Beach, where the body was found have been sent. It will check whether the same water was in his stomach and lungs,” Lokre said. However, the lack of progress in the probe, nearly 20 days after the youth was found dead, raises concerns about the safety of tourists on the North coastal belt, especially during peak season.
In the second incident, Ashutosh Jadavat, 28, from Rajasthan collapsed and fell unconscious while dancing at a hilltop party venue in Vagator on January 20. He was rushed to the North District Hospital in Mapusa, where he passed away within 15 minutes. Anjuna PI Prashal Dessai reported that Jadavat collapsed at 7 pm. As the news of his death spread like wildfire, the Anjuna Police clamped down and halted all parties within their jurisdiction. When asked whether it was a case of drug overdose, Desai stated that Jadavat’s viscera has been sent for testing, which would determine the cause of his death. However, the lack of transparency and communication from the police only adds to the growing scepticism surrounding their handling of these mysterious deaths.