Justice Delayed

Justice Delayed

Preetu Nair & Peter De Souza

COLVA/SOUTH GOA/INDIA

The Colva police will now face an inquiry for delay in registering a complaint of rape made by a 21-year-old girl. This was confirmed by DIG of Police, Ujjwal Mishra who admitted that the police had delayed in registering the case. "It was very wrong on the part of the PI and he should have registered the complaint," Mishra said.

The victim girl Ritika (name changed) had informed the Colva police about the incident on May 5, but the complaint was registered eight days later after most of the evidence was destroyed.

The SP (South) has been instructed to conduct an inquiry and submit the report. "We will take departmental action. There was definitely a delay in registering the complaint," Mishra said.


Ritika alleged that the police refused to register her complaint and on the contrary tried to broker a compromise between her and the main accused with the help of local MLA Miccky Pacheco. When this was brought to the notice of the DIG, he said, "Off hand I can't say, but the inquiry will reveal everything."

Though the police state that there are several loopholes in the various declarations made by the girl, they admit that the Colva police should have done its job of registering a complaint and investigating it. Even SP (South) S M Prabhudesai admitted, "I am conducting an internal inquiry because there are allegations about delay in lodging the complaint."

The girl's story

On her 21'st birthday on May 2, Ritika was allegedly picked up by Agnel and Anthony (both known to her) around 7.30 pm and taken to a flat in Chinchinim in a green coloured Zen.

There she was handcuffed and raped by Agnel. Each and every act was "video recorded" by Agnel to ensure that she never leaves him to marry another man, she alleged.

The trauma and nightmare that started on her birthday continued for four days. From the second day she was allowed to move freely, but the moment her tormentors went out, they handcuffed her, alleged Ritika. Even Agnel's friends, Ajay and Seby, alleged to be close to Mickky, also came to the flat. "Ajay tried to sympathize with me, stating that I am like his daughter and I shouldn't worry," stated Ritika.

Finally, on May 5 late evening, she managed to escape. "There was no electricity. Only Anthony was at the flat and the main door was open. I changed my clothes and stealthily escaped," she said.

She was lucky to get a lift to Chinchinim church from where she called her aunt, who informed her that she was coming to the spot with the police. They arrived at the spot around 9 pm. The police then took her back to the flat, where they caught hold of Agnel, confiscated the handcuffs and video camera, even as Anthony managed to escape.

But greater shock awaited Ritika when she arrived at the Colva police station. "Mickky was there along with Ajay and Seby. He asked me to compromise and not register a complaint," she alleged. She further charged, "Though I wanted to lodge a complaint, PI Uday Parab, who arrived late in the scene, refused to register the complaint".

Finally, eight days after she escaped, the police registered her complaint on May 12, after SP (South) was contacted by an NGO Jan Ugahi. Later, she was sent for a medical test. The case now will be investigated by new Colva Police Inspector Sagar Ekoskar.


Friends turn abusers

Agnel befriended the family in 2005, when he first convinced Ritika's brother to keep his bull at their home, in exchange for a bike. Agnel, who works on the ship, is around 40-year-old, married and father of two.

Being from a poor family, their father expired when she was 7 and her mother works as a maid in Kuwait, they agreed. From then, Agnel started visiting them regularly and slowly started professing his love for Ritika. "He claimed that he wanted to divorce his wife because he loved me. But I refused," said Ritika.


(This story appeared in Gomantak Times dated 17/5/2007)

Name changed to protect identity