Goa is gradually becoming unsafe for tourists: Parrikar

Panaji, Mar 7 (UNI) Alleging that Goa has become unsafe for tourists due to lack of police vigil, Opposition BJP leader Manohar Parrikar today demanded a thorough inquiry into the mysterious death of a British teenager at north Goa's famous Anjuna beach recently.

Interacting with mediapersons, Mr Parrikar questioned the police, why the restaurants had been allowed to operate beyond midnight against the law in the beach belt. The Britisher was seen last at a restaurant at Anjuna.

Incidentally, the authorities today conducted second autopsy of the deceased foreigner on demand of her mother and intervention of the Chief Minister, suspecting foul play.

''Her body was found on the beach with bruises and bites, so it could not be death owing to drowning. The truth would come out if the case is investigated thoroughly,'' he said.

Mr Parrikar also demanded the Director General of Police to probe the antecedents of the concerned investigating officer who was suspended during his regime earlier, for registering a case of suicide instead of murder.

The series of 30 deaths last month including that of foreigners and drug related cases have sent a wrong signal about the safety of Goa as an international tourist destination, with the Home Minister Ravi S Naik keeping quiet, he said.

Reacting sharply to the steep hike in electricity duty from 8 paise to 18 paise per unit, Mr Parrikar questioned the sagacity of the government with the Electricity Department running in profits.

The hike, which was expected to fetch an additional Rs 8 crore revenue to the exchequer, was not justifiable. It reflected the failure of the power minister in supervising the maintainance of street lights for which the tariff was hiked.

The BJP, he said, had directed its Panchayats not to pay the hiked tariff but resist the move, even in the Consumer Court.

UNI SRN-BM SR PY DB2043