Teams despatched to nab accused in Goa rape case

A photo of the accused who allegedly raped a nine year old Russian girl in Goa's Arambol beach on January 26. Police have despatched teams outside Goa as well as within the State to search for the accused and his accomplice. Photo: PTI

After identifying those involved in the sexual assault of a nine-year-old Russian girl on a beach on Tuesday, the Goa police on Thursday despatched teams outside Goa as well as within the State to search for the accused and his accomplice.

The police earlier identified the accused as Aman Bharadwaj from Uttar Pradesh who was working as a machine operator for a local pharmaceutical company at Dhargal in the Pernem taluk of north Goa. They added that he is around 25-30 years of age.

The girl, who was with her mother on Tuesday evening at the Arambol beach in Pernem, nearly 40 km from here, was allegedly assaulted by Bharadwaj, while his accomplice, Anil Kumar Raghuvanshi, kept her mother engaged in a casual chat.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ravindra Yadav told mediapersons on Thursday that the accused and his accomplice were at large.

He released a photograph of Bharadwaj.

Police said a group of 10 men working for the pharma firm had gone to the beach. The two accused broke away and went to an isolated stretch where the crime eventually took place.

Meanwhile, sources in the Goa government said the State sent a detailed report about the case to the Centre as per the directives of Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja on Wednesday.

Differences in the State’s coalition government resurfaced on Thursday as Goa Tourism Minister Micky Pacheco, who has repeatedly voiced concern over the crime situation, hinted during a press conference that the State’s Home Minister Ravi Naik was unable to handle things.