Vigil on Goan beaches tightened, 100 nabbed in 2 days

Panaji, Mar 18 (UNI) Police have tightened their grip on Goan beaches to check nefarious activities including drug peddling and consumption, and have rounded up about 100 people on suspicion as a precautionary measure during the last two days.

This is in wake of the February 18 rape and murder of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, which kicked off dust on the sincerity of the police force and the government in checking the drug menace and the underworld.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kishan Kumar said the people, moving about under suspicious circumstances, at the beaches late at night have been rounded up for questioning. They will be released after obtaining convincing answers, he added.

The police, he said, are ''fine-tuning'' the investigation of Keeling's case before filing the chargesheet with key eye-witness Michael Mannion, alias Masala deposing evidence yesterday before the police.

Police has also made it clear that they will not allow playing of music after 2300 hrs and opening bars/shacks after midnight so that it does not attract any unwanted elements.

The Government is also thinking of cancelling the licenses of the bars/shacks, if they continuously violated the regulations.

Special vigil has been kept at some of the beaches known as ''foreigners paradise'' like the infamous Anjuna, which attracts scores of foreigners day in and day out for rave parties and drug sessions.

Notably, the semi-clad body of Keeling was found on the Anjuna beach on February 18 after she was heavily drugged, raped and abandoned allegedly by two Goan youths, who are now in police custody.

State Home Minister Ravi Naik also asserted that the Government will not spare any foreigner overstaying in Goa and indulging in actions against the local laws.

He also favoured issue of visas to foreigners coming to India after a thorough screening of their antecedents including financial status so that they behaved decently in the country.

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