log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY JUNE 7, 2026 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 350 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 MOVIES »PAGE 16 GOOD LIFE »PAGE 12 LIVE SMART »PAGE 14 SPORTS »PAGE 7 Karisma ditches dance, turns cop Nutrient vs Caffeine Remembering better days Spirituality, wellness and everyday life Why does the brain play a song on loop Gill, Rahul tons put India firmly in command against Afghanistan Sana apologises over Peddi row, acknowledges criticism of Janhvi Kapoor’s portrayal >> SEE PG 2 GRAND ALLIANCE: CAN OPPN UNITE? 9 MAGAZINE MAGAZ Cost of viral shame When correction becomes cruel Velvet Scoops: One woman’s pursuit of better desserts Beyond punishment: Reimagining waste responsibility in Goa 11 IN SHORT >> Builder convicted in cheque bounce case MAPUSA: In a judgment that drew a distinction between contractual liability and unsubstantiated claims for interest, a Mapusa court convicted a businessman under the Negotiable Instruments Act while simultaneously rejecting a portion of the complainant's claim worth several lakhs of rupees.   >> See pg 6 5 cows mowed down in Verna accident VASCO: Five cows were killed and another sustained serious injuries after a cargo truck allegedly driven by an intoxicated driver rammed into a herd of cattle at Verna. Verna Police have apprehended the driver and registered a case, while animal welfare groups rushed to rescue the injured animal.   >> See pg 5 Know the risks of mixing supplements with coffee and how it impacts nutrient Why people are revisiting old songs, and simpler routines Autopsy finding adds twist to Mapusa student’s death REVEALS SWOLLEN RIGHT EYE WITH FRACTURE; INJURY WAS INFLICTED SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE THE GUNSHOT WOUND AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA Fresh questions have emerged in the death of 22-year-old college student Samuel Braganza after the post-mortem examination reportedly revealed that he had sustained a serious injury to his right eye several hours before the fatal gunshot wound that caused his death. According to sources familiar with the autopsy findings, the post-mortem conducted on Friday evening confirmed that the third-year college student died due to a bullet injury. However, doctors also noted a swollen right eye accompanied by a fracture, with medical opinion suggesting that the injury was inflicted several hours before the gunshot wound. The revelation has added a new dimension to the case, Youth’s mother seeks FIR against policemen, alleges mental torture MAPUSA: The mother of the 22-year-old Mapusa youth who allegedly died by suicide after being named in a garbage-dumping case has demanded criminal action against police officers, alleging that her son was repeatedly isolated from his family and subjected to severe mental trauma during hours of questioning at the Mapusa Police Station. In a detailed complaint addressed to the North Goa Superintendent of Police, with copies marked to the Chief Minister, Director General of Police and Home Secretary, Genevieve De Braganca, sought registration of an FIR against the police officers concerned for alleged abetment of suicide and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). She also demanded action against the creator of the viral video that triggered public outrage against her son. >> See pg 3 which has already sparked widespread public outrage following allegations that the youth was subjected to intense scrutiny after a vid- eo purportedly showing him dumping garbage by the roadside went viral on social media. Sources said the autop- Cockroach party lays siege to Delhi, ultimatum for Pradhan  WANTS MINISTER TO QUIT WITHIN 7 DAYS  FOUNDER PLANS COUNTRYWIDE PROTEST Leopard cub found dead at Paliem PERNEM: A leopard cub was found dead at Bagatwada in Paliem-Pernem, prompting forest department officials to conduct an inspection and launch an investigation. The exact cause of the death remains unclear even as officials stated that the cause will be revealed only after the post-mortem report is received. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 32.2 C 25.2 C 70% Blue Tigresses reclaim SAFF crown CAPITAL STORM: Protesters gather at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Saturday. PTI NEW DELHI Hundreds of protesters gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Saturday under the banner of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged irregularities in exami- NTA dismisses claims of leak or sale of NEET-UG re-exam paper >> See pg 6 nations and recruitment tests, with founder Abhijeet Dipke delivering the message not to be “scared”. At a press conference later, CJP spokespersons announced that they will wait for a week either for the Centre to sack Pradhan or his voluntary resignation, after which they would launch a countrywide protest. Dipke, who called for the >Continued on P6 ON PAGE 3 Mother seeks postmortem report, CCTV footage through RTI Key question: How did youth get revolver? sy report indicates that the fatal shot was fired from a small-calibre revolver. The bullet entered through the right temple and exited from the area behind the left eye, causing catastrophic injuries that resulted in death. Police have reportedly sent the recovered ballistic evidence for forensic examination to determine the exact weapon used and to establish other technical details surrounding the shooting. The finding relating to the eye injury is expected to come under close scrutiny as it raises questions about how Monsoon covers entire Goa, IMD issues yellow alert till June 10 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Southwest Monsoon has further advanced and covered the entire State of Goa, a day after making its onset over the coastal State on June 5. As per the latest weather update issued by IMD Goa, the monsoon has also advanced into some more parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, most parts of Tamil Nadu, and several regions of the Bay of Bengal and Northeastern States on June 6. IMD has issued a yellow alert for Goa till June 10, forecasting thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, gusty winds and heavy rainfall activity across the State during the period. Weather conditions remain favourable for the further advance of the monsoon into additional parts of the central Arabian Sea, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, remaining parts of Tamil Nadu, and more areas of the Bay of Bengal over the next two to three days, the IMD said. and where the injury was sustained. The deceased had reportedly spent more than four hours at the Mapusa police station on the day of the incident after police registered a case against him in connection with the alleged roadside dumping of garbage. Several citizens have questioned whether the nature of the alleged offence warranted prolonged interrogation and whether all procedures were followed during his detention at the police station. "The post-mortem findings make it imperative that every aspect of the case is investigated transparently. The circumstances under which the eye injury occurred must be established beyond doubt," said Adv Mahesh Rane, a resident of Mapusa. >Continued on P6 2027 ASSEMBLY POLLS Sawant to lead BJP delegation to Delhi for ST quota push To meet Union home minister THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will lead a BJP delegation to New Delhi on Sunday to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and press for the issuance of a notification paving the way for political reservation for Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the 2027 Goa Assembly elections. The delegation will comprise Union Minister for State Shripad Naik, Goa Assembly Speaker Ganesh Gaonkar, Minister Ramesh Tawadkar and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade, BJP chief Damodar Naik and other office bearers. The move follows a resolution passed by the BJP Goa Core Committee urging the Centre to expedite the notification process. The President of India has already granted assent to the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2025 which MISSION RESERVATION „„Centre yet to issue notification „„Aim to fast-track notification process „„Target is implementation before polls „„Prez has given assent to ST quota Bill was passed by the Parliament. Speaking to The Goan, Tawadkar said all legislative formalities have been completed and only the notification remains pending. “The Bill has already received the assent of the President and has become law. What is pending now is the notification and the process that follows. We will request the Union Home Minister to expedite the same so that >Continued on P6 Congress sounds unity call, Thakare asserts all is well TO UNVEIL 2027 POLL ROADMAP ON JUNE 18 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Amid the ongoing turbulence within the Goa Congress following the appointment of Girish Chodankar as the new State Congress president, AICC Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare on Saturday sought to project unity within the party, asserting that no leader has officially resigned and that all Congress workers would ultimately rally behind the organisation's decisions. Addressing the media after holding his first organisational review meeting with newly-appointed GPCC president and working presidents, Thakare said the party has begun preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections and will undertake a complete restructuring of its organisational machinery within the next 15 days. Responding to questions on the replacement of Amit Patkar as GPCC president, Thakare said the move was an internal organisational decision Kawthankar’s post fuels speculation PANAJI: Even as Congress leaders maintain that all is well within the party, a cryptic social media post by senior leader Sunil Kawthankar has triggered fresh speculation about internal dissatisfaction and groupism. Kawthankar, who was recently appointed co-chairperson of the party’s coordination committee, is yet to formally take charge of the post. On Saturday, he shared a message on social media stating: “Some people can be fooled all the time. All people can be fooled sometimes. But all the people cannot be fooled all the time. Public sentiments cannot be taken for granted.” The post comes amid reports of discontent within sections of the party over the recent >Continued on P6 and should not be viewed as a crisis. "Amit Patkar has informed us that he now wants to focus on his constituency of Curchorem. It is an internal decision of the party. Every political party undergoes changes. Such decisions do not affect the party or its loyal workers," he said adding “a loyal worker works to strengthen the par- ty and does not get affected by organisational changes. Everyone has to accept the party's decision”. Dismissing reports of growing dissent and resignations by some, Thakare claimed he had personally spoken to party leaders and workers. "I have spoken to everyone. >Continued on P6 Iran escalates attacks on Gulf GMC doctor ranked among world’s top 5% scientists DR AMIT ON TOP OF THE WORLD nations; hits Kuwait, Bahrain THE GOAN I NETWORK NEW EXCHANGE TESTS FRAGILE CEASEFIRE PTI CAIRO Iran fired missiles and drones toward Bahrain and Kuwait early Saturday, Bahrain's government said, adding that they were intercepted. It called on Tehran to immediately cease attacks on Gulf neighbours that it deemed a “serious escalation.” Iran's foreign ministry said the US early Saturday attacked surveillance facilities on Qeshm Island and near Sirik that it said were used to protect bor- ders and “ensure the security of navigation in international waters.” Tehran called the attack a violation of the fragile ceasefire. The latest exchange of fire came as the Trump administration pressed Iran to make a deal to end the war that has strained the global economy and threatened a hunger crisis in some of the world's most vulnerable countries. The US military earlier said it shot down several Iranian missiles and drones launched toward the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf Arab allies, and struck some of the Islamic Republic's coastal surveillance radar sites in response. “The attack drones posed an immediate threat to regional maritime traffic,” US Central Command said on social media. It confirmed it hit radar sites, including an island in the strait, “to defend against further attacks.” Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it targeted the Ali Al Salem air base, which hosts US forces in Kuwait, and the US Navy's 5th Fleet in Bahrain. PANAJI r Amit Dias, Assistant Professor in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at Goa Medical College (GMC), has been recognised among the World’s Top 5% Scientists in the 2025 SciRank Global Registry, following an independent global bibliometric analysis of scientific productivity and research impact. According to the SciRank Global, Dr Dias is among the top 5% of active researchers worldwide, with a global rank of 161,209, placing him within an elite group of scientists whose research contributions have demonstrated exception- D „„SciRank Global places him on global rank of 161,209 „„In an elite group of influential scientists „„Ranking recognizes researchers for exceptional productivity, research impact „„Evaluates around 10 mn al productivity and influence. The SciRank Global 2025 Scientist Index is based on comprehensive bibliometric assessments of approximately active researchers and over 50 mn scholarly publications worldwide „„His inclusion highlights growing global research contribution of GMC in health research „„Achievement reflects academic excellence, international scientific recognition 10 million active researchers and over 50 million scholarly publications worldwide. Dr Amit Dias’ inclusion in the 2025 SciRank Global Registry highlights not only his achievements but also the growing contribution of Goa Medical College and Goa to impactful global health research. ACHIEVEMENTS, RECOGNITION Dr Dias has completed an MD (Preventive and Social Medicine), Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Postgraduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine and MSc in Clinical Trials from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and University College London. Dr Dias, who hails from Aldona but presently resides in Porvorim, is internationally recognised for his research in dementia, healthy ageing, mental health, diabetes, and major public health issues. His scientific journey began while pursuing an MD in Preventive and Social Medicine, where he conducted pioneering research on care arrangements for people with dementia in Goa. Together with former GMC professor of neurology late Dr Chicot Vas, Dr Dias co-founded the NGO ‘Dementia Society of Goa’, to improve lives of people with dementia and supporting their families and caregivers. Dr Dias has served as member of the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention, contributing to global evidence on >Continued on P6