53 Nigerians detained in Goa after mob blocks highway

Panaji, Nov 1: 53 Nigerians were detained late on Thursday night after a mob of about 200 of them blocked a National Highway over the death of a fellow national, prompting the

government to announce a major crackdown on foreign nationals living in the state without proper documents.

The mob blocked the Mapusa-Panaji Highway running through Porvorim village yesterday afternoon after allegedly ransacking the police hearse van that was carrying the body of the Nigerian, who was found dead with multiple stab wounds at Parra village in Mapusa near Panaji late last night, police said.

Following the incident, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told reporters that he had asked the police department to comb the entire state and locate Nigerians and other foreign nationals staying without visa and other documentation.

Mr Parrikar said that the murder was fall-out of a gang rivalry in the drug trade.

"We will also crack down on those involved in the drug trade extensively now. The action would be initiated in the next seven days and will continue in future," Mr Parrikar said.

He also said that the establishments including clubs, pubs and restaurants which entertain foreign nationals without proper documents would face criminal cases.

Admitting that there was a failure of police informer network resulting in lower detection of drug cases, the Chief Minister said, "Virtually for five years, when Congress government was in power, the network had gone defunct."

He claimed that in the last seven months the network has been built again.

Of the 53 Nigerians who were detained, those involved in the ruckus would be arrested and the documents of others would be verified, the chief minister said. Mr Parrikar conceded that a few locals brutally beat up two Nigerians protesting on the road, who were admitted to the district hospital in Mapusa.

"Locals who assaulted the Nigerians would also be booked," he said.

PTI