Our women members being targeted: Sanatan Sanstha

PANAJI - Sanatan Sanstha, a Hindu rightwing group whose members have been linked to the Diwali eve blast in Goa, Tuesday alleged harassment of its women members by people residing near its premises.

Goa chief minister’s gold medals to police officers come under cloud

PANAJI - The Goa chief minister’s gold medal awarded to two senior police officers for ‘dedicated and commendable’ services has come under cloud with civic groups alleging that the tainted police officers have been decorated.

Ketamine export racket busted in Goa

PANAJI - Customs officials Monday busted an international ketamine export racket operating from a post office in the state, an official said Monday.

Now police unsure about Goa blast links to Sadhvi, Purohit

PANAJI - Police here Monday refused to acknowledge that the Diwali-eve blasts in Goa had any links with Sadhvi Pragya Singh and Col. Shrikant Purohit, accused in the September 2008 blast in Malegaon.

Sun, sand and suspense - Goa stayed newsy (Flashback 2009)

PANAJI - The mysterious death of a Russian woman and the alleged rape of another rocked Goa this year. The accidental arrest of a serial killer and a cyclone that killed several fishermen also made news. Ten landmark events of 2009 from the state:

Cops’ casino visit official: Goa home minister

PANAJI - A month after seven police officers left Goa police red-faced by creating a stir aboard an offshore casino, state Home Minister Ravi Naik clarified that they had not only visited the vessel but had also dined on the vessel; compliments of the management.

Goa chief minister asks tourists to follow ‘code’ for safety

PANAJI - Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat Thursday asked tourists to adhere to certain “code and responsibilities while on holiday in the state.

Goa Diwali eve blast case handed over to NIA

PANAJI - The Diwali eve blast in Goa that killed two people has been formally handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), police here said Thursday.

Accused in Russian rape case missing: Goa police

PANAJI - John Fernandes, accused of raping a Russian woman in Goa, has gone missing after his anticipatory bail was cancelled by the high court Tuesday, police said Wednesday.

Goa rape case mishandled: Russia

PANAJI - Russian officials have expressed annoyance over the mishandling of the case involving the alleged rape of a Russian girl, and have written a letter to Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat urging him to look into the matter with some seriousness.

In tourism, Goa church sees great new tool

PANAJI - The Roman Catholic church in Goa wants tourists in the state to spare the proverbial beach and booze and hit the Bible instead.

Confusion in Goa over blast case investigation

PANAJI - Confusion prevailed over the status of the Diwali-eve blast in Goa, with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Friday saying the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been handed over the probe and the state police saying they were not aware of this yet.

Church-affiliated Goa group publishes anti-Israeli book

PANAJI - Portraying Israeli tourists as a bunch of promiscuous, stingy, drug addicts and peddlers, a new book published by a church-affiliated organisation in Goa is likely to ruffle many feathers.

Russian consul general seeks proper probe into rape case

PANAJI - The Russian consulate in Mumbai has asked the Goa chief minister to ensure proper investigation into the alleged rape of a 25-year-old Russian girl by a local politician, and warned that such incidents “spoil the image of Goa as a safe place for tourists”.

Goa police not to challenge the bail plea in Russian girl rape case

PANAJI - The case involving the rape of a Russian girl by a Goa politician has taken a new twist with Goa Police deciding not to challenge the bail plea of accused John Fernandes.

Crime Branch officials arrest Goa politician accused of rape

PANAJI - Goa politician John Fernandes, an accused in the alleged rape of a Russian woman, was arrested by the Goa Crime Branch here today.

Russian rape victim now counts scars of police insensitivity

PANAJI - The 13 angry, livid scars on her body are testimony to her rape allegedly by a local politician John Fernandes Dec 1. Nine days later, the 25-year-old Russian is now counting the mental scars left behind by a completely insensitive and corrupt Goa police.

Goa rape victim dreads for life, likely to withdraw complaint

PANAJI - The Russian girl who alleged that she was assaulted by supporters of John Fernandes, a high profile Goa politician, has said that she will withdraw her rape complaint if the Russian Consulate does not step in to help her.

I got death threats outside court: Russian rape victim

PANAJI - A Russian woman, who has accused Goa politician John Fernandes of raping her, Tuesday alleged that she got death threats outside the district court from his supporters.

Senior Goa cop under scanner for son using official vehicle

PANAJI - Goa’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) K.D. Singh will be questioned about his son driving his official vehicle and ramming into an electricity police during a night of pub-hopping, a police official said Tuesday.

No central input on Headley’s stay in Goa: police

PANAJI - Goa Police Tuesday denied receiving any inputs from central intelligence agencies about the presence of terror suspect David Coleman Headley in Goa earlier this year.

‘India can manufacture only 8 Light Combat Aircraft a year’

PANAJI - Despite a pending order from the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 20 light combat aircraft (LCA), India can manufacture only eight such aircraft annually, a senior Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) official has said.

Indian-made fighter plane Tejas clocks fastest speed

PANAJI - Light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas notched a speed of over 1,350 km per hour — the fastest by an indigenously-made fighter aircraft — during its sea level flight trials off Goa Tuesday, a senior Indian Air Force official said.

Accused in Russian woman’s rape gets anticipatory bail

PANAJI - John Fernandes, a local politician accused of raping a 25-year-old Russian woman, was granted anticipatory bail by a Goa court Tuesday.

Goa policemen in sex act may go scot-free

PANAJI - Three policemen who allegedly forced a sex worker to perform oral sex in a police control room (PCR) van could go scot-free as, according to a senior official, no criminal action is possible unless the victim is traced.

Goa cop’s son was driving police chief’s car during accident

PANAJI - The Toyota Innova car, which Goa Inspector General of Police (IGP) K.D. Singh’s 18-year-old son rammed into an electricity pole in the wee hours of Dec 5, is in fact officially allotted to the state Director General of Police Bhimsain Bassi.

Goa cops bypass NIA in blast probe

PANAJI - Goa police has been pulled up for not sending details of the Diwali-eve bomb blast investigations to the National Investigating Agency (NIA), set up in 2008 to investigate terror-related crimes in the country.

Goa women’s groups seek criminal case against cop

PANAJI - Women’s groups in Goa are up in arms over what they allege is a “virtual pardon” to a police head constable who forced a prostitute to perform oral sex on him in a police patrol car in the presence of two constables - one of whom filmed it on his mobile phone - and demanded criminal cases be filed against the three.

We invite tourists to Goa and then harass them: Minister

PANAJI - Enough is enough, Goa Tourism Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco said, severely criticising the Goa police for harassing a Russian rape victim.

Goa police officer’s son rams official car into pole

PANAJI - Three people travelling in the oficial car of an inspector general of police were injured when the vehicle, being driven by the officer’s son, rammed into an electricity pole near Goa’s Vasco town, police said.