log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY JANUARY 14, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO.207 Scan for more information Hamara Sankalp A FLASH OF LIGHT ON POWER TARIFF HIKE MAGAZINE MAGAZ International 09 Purple fest ends with grand celebration Anti-feminine bias in child custody proceedings 10 Mix of viral sensations and classic beauty in 2024 Role of regular screening in prevention of cervical cancer How AI is weaving a new fabric of Indian fashion 11 New 2024 Kia Sonet: Wilder, wickeder & better! IN SHORT >> Sleuths seize drugs worth `55 lakhs PANAJI: After a crackdown on drugs valued at Rs 10 lakh, the ANC arrested a local for allegedly possessing Rs 55 lakh worth of Ganja and Charas, smuggled from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh into Goa.   >> See pg 3 Palestine fans’ rally stopped at Mapusa PANAJI: Mapusa police stopped a rally which was organised near Mapusa market by Palestine supporters in solidarity with victims of Israel-Hamas war. Indian as well as foreign nationals were part of the rally. Karwar diocese has new bishop BELAGAVI: Pope Francis appointed Rev Msgr Duming Dias of the Clergy of Shivamogga Diocese, presently the Director of Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Sannidhi in Shivamogga, as the Bishop of Karwar.  >> See pg 5 WEATHER >> Max: 34 C Min: 23 C Humidity: 87% Metro connectivity increased from 5 cities in 2014 to 22 cities now SAYS DAMAGE DONE; NO JUSTICE FOR FATHER OR HIS DEAD SON PANAJI Bengaluru’s AI start-up CEO Suchana Seth’s estranged husband Venkat Raman’s lawyer Azhar has claimed that seeking justice for his client and deceased four-year-old son might be futile since irreversible damage has been done by the son’s death.  Stepping out of the police station after Venkat Raman’s hours of questioning, Azhar said the man is shattered. Asked whether the grieving father would file a separate case against his estranged wife, Adv Azhar said “what is left for him now? His family is gone… wife is in jail, son is dead… I don’t know whether it would be jail or bail for Suchana…I don’t think it matters to him (Venkat Raman) any longer”.  While expressing gratitude SPAT AT THE POLICE STATION Venkat Raman to Suchana: Why did you kill my son? You could have taken revenge on me, why my son? Suchana: I didn’t kill him. Don’t blame me Venkat Raman: How did he die then? You killed him. You ruined my life Suchana: How do I know who killed him? I didn’t do. You have ruined my life. All this is because of you LAWYER ALLEGES MOTHER’S ANGER IN THE FATHER-SON RELATIONSHIP >> See pg 3 to the media and supporters in the case, Azhar suggested that this case could possibly serve as justice for estranged couples involved in custody battles, to live peacefully. “There is no justice for Bus driver, conductor arrested for assaulting tourists at Calangute TOURISTS CLAIM CASH, DOCUMENTS, MOBILE, GOLD LOST IN MELEE THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Mapusa police have arrested a bus driver and conductor on charges of assaulting tourists from Pune because they did not give way in the traffic jam near Shantadurga temple, Calangute on Friday at about 6.30 pm. The accused have been identified as bus driver, Cajie Laurence D’Souza (41) of Anjuna and conductor Sahil Kashinath Jadhav, (18) of Parra. The tourists, Pratik Sitaram Alhat, and Sultan Shaikh (both from Pune) were injured in the assault. Karim Sayyed, a native of Thane but living in Pune lodged a police complaint in the matter. According to the police complaint, Sayyed along with his friends Akanshka Relkar, Puja Alhat and Pratik Alhat had come to Goa from Pune WHAT HAPPENED „„The tourists on 3 motorbikes caught in a traffic jam near Shree Shantadurga temple „„The driver of the bus which was behind them begins to honk „„One of the tourists told the driver he couldn’t move his vehicle due to traffic „„The conductor and driver get off the bus and allegedly abuse and assault them on January 10 and were living in a rest house at Anjuna. On January 12, all five were in Calangute, and were returning to Anjuna. There was a traffic jam near Shree Shantadurga temple, and the three >Continued on P6 him (Venkat Raman) or his son. His (Venkat Raman’s) emotions are numb. This case might probably serve as justice to those currently in a dispute and fighting for child’s custody. In the entire battle (between an estranged couple), only the child loses. I hope this (case) could bring justice to somebody else (other estranged couples) to stop fighting and make peace,” he >Continued on P6 Naval employee killed in mishap near Varunapuri THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO A 34-year-old Naval employee was killed in a self-accident near the Varunapuri junction late Friday night. According to info, Rutul C was a native of Assam and was employed with the Navy. “The accident occurred at around 11 pm when Rutul was moving to Varunapuri junction from the Airport side,” said the source. “He lost control and dashed against a parked truck. His wife and their two children are staying at Varunapuri Naval quarters and the deceased was going home.” “Goa police and Naval police rushed to the site. Rutul was shifted to Chicalim hospital but was declared brought dead. The Goa police carried out the panchanama and the body was shifted to Hospicio and later handed to the family,” said the source. Vasco PSI Rohan Nageshkar is carrying out further investigation under the supervision of PI Kapil Nayak and Mormugao DySP Salim Shaikh. Goans restore St Joseph Vaz Chapel in Kandy MELVYN MISQUITA PANAJI hen a group of 41 Goans visit Kandy in Sri Lanka to celebrate the Feast of St Joseph Vaz, an illustrious son of Goa, on January 16, their pilgrimage will be memorable for a special reason. The Goan group will celebrate Mass for the first time inside the restored Chapel where St Joseph Vaz once stayed during his mission in Kandy. But what has made this possible is the fact that the Chapel, which had been in ruins for a number of decades, was restored following contributions from Goans. Bishop Emeritus Joseph Vianney Fernando of Kandy RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Bail or jail for Suchana will not matter now: Advocate THE GOAN I NETWORK W The renovation work at the Chapel of St Joseph Vaz at Kandy in Sri Lanka. will celebrate the Feast Mass at the Chapel of St Joseph Vaz along with a number of priests, nuns and a group of 41 Goan pilgrims. The Konkani hymn in honour of St Joseph Vaz will also INDIA LOSES OPENING MATCH AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN AFC ASIAN CUP  >>8 Metro network making urban connectivity easier Viksit Bharat >> SEE PG 2 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Modi Sarkar ki Guarantee Government of India 22201/13/0143/2324 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) be sung by the Goan pilgrims at the Feast Mass. The restored Chapel will also be inaugurated on the occasion. Paul Siqueira, who operates Zion Tours and Travels in Panaji, had spearheaded the restoration work after he was shocked to see the Chapel in ruins. “Our groups from Zion Tours and Travels have been going to Sri Lanka since May and the pilgrimage would always include the Chapel dedicated to St Joseph Vaz, which is based near the Ampithya seminary in Kandy. This is the place where St Joseph Vaz stayed while he was in Kandy,” said Paul Siqueira. “Whenever our groups used to go there, we would only see the Chapel from the outside as the structure was in ruins and it was dangerous to celebrate Mass inside the Chapel.” Since Siqueira had planned a group trip in January to coincide with the Feast of St Joseph Vaz on January 16, he was keen to have the Chapel restored and to seek permission to have their Mass celebrated there. “I approached my Sri Lankan agent about this idea who, in turn, asked authorities of the Ampithya seminary, who are in charge of the Chapel,” said Siqueira. “They reverted with a detailed proposal for the renovation work, which included the roof, electrical connections, benches, staircases, lights, etc. They also sent me pictures of the Chapel from the >Continued on P6 Cops bring Suchana, husband face-to-face Hubby says was not allowed to meet son for last 5 Sundays PANAJI: Suchana Seth’s estranged husband Venkat Raman refused to speak to her in the cell at Calangute police station as he appeared before the investigation team for the recording of his statement on Saturday. The police, however, made a face-to-face confrontation between the couple for around 15 minutes.  Suchana is undergoing custodial interrogation where Venkatraman, accompanied by his lawyer, deposed against her for over 6-8 hours. The PhD Physics scholar informed the police that Suchana had violated the Bengaluru Family Court’s order by avoiding the father-son meeting for five Sundays. Sources said that he explained to the police how he made frantic calls to her every Sunday in a bid to meet his son, which was scheduled for around eight hours as per the >Continued on P6 CM breaks silence, says small-time politicians shouldn’t defame Bhai THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after initially deterring finally broke his silence on Saturday over the controversy generated by the comments made by his cabinet Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate earlier in the week which were directed critically at former chief minister, late Manohar Parrikar, vis-a-vis Panaji’s developmental issues and ongoing smart city work. “Manohar Bhai Parrikar is a great leader not only of Goa but of the country. He has contributed a lot in the development of Panaji, Goa and the country. Therefore, small time  politicians should not use his name for petty personal politics,” Sawant said at a function on Saturday. Over the last few days, the chaotic execution of the Smart City work in the capital city had become a battle ground to exchange barbs between the former chief minister’s son Utpal and Monserrate. Utpal had hit out at Monserrate calling him “incom- IN SAWANT’S WORDS „„Manohar Bhai Parrikar is a great leader not only of Goa but of the country „„He has contributed a lot in the development of Panaji, Goa and the country „„Small time politicians should not use his name for petty personal politics petent, corrupt and indifferent” to the problems of Panjimites in the wake of the chaos caused by the Smart City work, a couple of days after Ribandar youth Ayush Halarnkar rode his bike into a pit and died. In a riposte, Monserrate threw  a challenge to Parrikar junior inviting him to face him in the next assembly poll in 2027. With his statement on Saturday, Sawant may be hoping to sooth the tempers of cadres who were upset.