Russian coming to pay son last respects

Russian coming to pay son last respects
Preetu Nair, TNN

PANAJI: This tourist season, among the first Russians to land in Goa is likely to be a grieving father, coming to pay his last respects to the remains of his murdered son.

Anton Prosnyakov was found murdered in Vagator in November 2007. His father is expected to arrive in Goa on October 10, to pay his respects to his late son and to try and connect with the latter's last moments, said sources.

"The grieving father was unsure until now that the dead body found in Goa was of his son. Now that DNA tests have confirmed it was his son, the father is coming to pay his last respects to the child," said counsel for the Russian consulate in Mumbai Vikram Varma, who has been following up the case with the Anjuna police.

Anton had gone missing in November 2007. He had arrived in New Delhi from Russia on August 25, 2007 on a tourist visa along with his girlfriend Marina Pulina, 22. They travelled to Srinagar, Leh, Mumbai and arrived in Goa in October. They initially stayed at Vagator and then moved to Chapora. Receiving no news from their son for a long time, Anton's parents complained to the Russian federation's foreign affairs ministry that their son had been missing from November 2007 onwards.

Police had informed the that they suspected that two unknown bodies found in the bushes at White Rock shack, Vagator in November 2007 could be that of Anton and his girlfriend. Anton's parents had then sent their DNA reports to the Goa police to assist them in identifying the body of their son.

Some three months back DNA and super imposition tests confirmed that the decomposed body of the man found in the bushes at Vagator was of Anton. Once this was confirmed, the family sought the body so as to cremate it in Russia. However, the police were able to send just Anton's skull to his parents in Russia as the body had been cremated at the Panaji crematorium, as is done with all unclaimed bodies. The police had informed the Russian consulate that the body was identified only after the disposal of the remains.

"In homicide matters, where the face is rendered unrecognizable, we need to speed up our ability to identify through DNA testing. A time period of nearly two years just to identify a body is a trauma for the family and setback for the investigations," said Varma.

Anton's father intends to visit the sites where his son was murdered and later cremated. He may also meet local police to inquire into the investigations on the murder of his son. However, Varma added, "That depends on him."

5 October 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition

Procedural delays keep minors at Apna Ghar

Procedural delays keep minors at Apna Ghar
Preetu Nair, TNN

PANAJI: If the police fail to file a chargesheet within 90 days of filing a first information report, a rapist or a murderer arrested and in judicial custody get bail “as a matter of right”. For a thief, this period is even less. Children in conflict with law in Goa, and lodged at an observation home, however, often remain confined in the home for months together.

This happens, despite the Juvenile Justice Act stating that the police shall complete investigations in a crime involving a minor at the earliest to ensure that the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) completes the inquiry “within 4 months”.

“Children’s rights are being constantly violated under the purview of the juvenile justice system. We have come across several cases which have been pending before the JJB since 2002. Often for petty offences an FIR is filed against a minor and they are lodged at Apna Ghar for months together. The law states that in any offence committed by a juvenile, the trial should get over in four months,” said child activist Emidio Pinto.

Confirming this, former JJB member Snehlata Bhatikar said, “This gross children’s right violation happens mainly due to the police delay in filing the chargesheet, witnesses and lawyers failing to turn up for the hearing and failure of the police and Apna Ghar authorities to serve witnesses with summons issued by the JJB.”

5 October 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition