Probe attacks: Russia tells Goa govt

Probe attacks: Russia tells Goa govt
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: India and Russia may share excellent bilateral ties, but it appears that the relations have soured a little in Goa during this tourist season. Unhappy with the manner in which Russians who visit Goa are treated, the Russian consulate has shot off letters to the state government during the last few months.
“In the last few months, the Russian Federation’s consulate in Mumbai has sent ten letters referring to 16 incidents. In the letters, the Russian Federation draws the authorities’ attention to police action and inaction in cases relating to homicide, cheating, assualt, property matters and wrongful deportation of Russians,” said an official from the home department.
Advocate for the consul general of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Vikram Varma, refused to comment on the correspondence between the Russian consulate and the Goa government. “But I can confirm that far more attention on matters concerning Russian citizens need to be given by the Goa government,” informed Varma.
Added to this are apprehensions in the minds of few Russian tourists who have started to question Goa’s status as a safe tourist destination. “We are pre-judged as criminals and harassed in Goa. This is really unfortunate. Many of my friends, who were ill-treated by the locals with police support have complained to the Russian government,” said a Russian tourist, who didn’t wish to reveal his identity.
However, chief secretary J P Singh said, “Goa is a safe destination. The Russian Consul
General had brought up certain cases and we are looking into some of the allegations.”
It is reliably learnt that, worried about the increasing incidents against Russians in Goa, the Consul General, Alexander Mantytsky, had visited the state in March and met government officials. “During the meetings with the state government officials, he had discussed six cases,” revealed a home department official. IGP Kishan Kumar has stated that most matters are under investigation.

2008 May 08 Times Of India Goa