Kin of Goa murder victims reach out to PM

Cops protecting local criminals, say relatives of 10 tourists who have died since 2005

Panaji: Close relatives of 10 foreign tourists slain or found dead in mysterious circumstances in Goa and neighbouring areas since 2005 have written to the Prime Minister accusing the local police in Goa of covering up the murders. They have sought the setting up of a commission, monitored by a Supreme Court judge, to analyse the investigations.

In an open letter, dated May 21, 2017, and addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, they have alleged that Goa Police personnel protect local criminals for money and the same local anti-social elements are involved in crimes and murders of foreign nationals and locals.

“Police are resistant to solving these cases and those who are responsible for murder remain at liberty to reoffend. Unbiased independent investigation is needed to reveal the connections between the locals, police in Goa, drug mafia and politicians and their involvement in the deaths of tourists and locals in Goa,” says the letter.

Seek independent probe

“We fervently request a Commission led by Supreme Court judge to analyse the investigations of the deaths of Caitanya Holt, Felix Dahl, James Durkin, Kyle Arndt, British minor girl(name withheld), Denyse Sweeney, Stephen Bennett, Martin Neighbour, Michael Harvey and Jonathan Burbank to ensure a proper, unbiased and comprehensive investigation to reveal the truth about their deaths,” the letter states.

The letter has been signed by Parvati Dasi, mother of Caitanya Holt who was killed by a mob near Morjim beach; Minna Pirhonen, mother of Felix Dahl, whose murder case was registered after a delay of nearly two years; Fiona MacKeown, mother of British teenager who was found dead after being sexually assaulted at Anjuna beach; and, Amanda Bennett, sister of Stephen Bennett, who was found dead in Maharashtra, among others.

It questions the quality of the work of the police in Goa and laments that instead of investigating the murders and killings, the local police want to cover up the truth.

The letter states that the increasing crime against foreigners in recent times has made Goa the “second most dangerous tourist destination in the whole world”.

It has sought an unbiased independent investigation to reveal the connections between the locals, police in Goa, drug mafia and politicians and their involvement in the deaths of tourists and locals in Goa.

This is the second such letter to the Prime Minister. In September last year, Ms. Mackeown, had written to Narendra Modi seeking justice for her 16-year-old daughter following the acquittal by a trial court of two men accused of assaulting her daughter and leaving her to die on Anjuna beach.