log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY OCTOBER 29, 2024 14 pages GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 132 2 2 Cop accuses colleagues of torture before suicide Diwali disappointment: Hotels struggle with low bookings GOA Special summary revision of electoral rolls to begin today GAWADE APOLOGISES IN VIRAL VIDEO BEFORE TAKING EXTREME STEP; AGASSAIM POLICE ACKNOWLEDGE VIDEO, SAY NEEDS VERIFICATION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A viral video of a 22-year-old constable Prathamesh Gawade, possibly overlooked by the police department, has accused two female constables and a civilian of “mental torture and harassment.” The 2.18-minute video, reportedly recorded before Gawade jumped off the Zuari Bridge, begins with him apologising for his decision to take such an extreme step. He identified the two female constables, one of whom was in a relationship with him and a man who was the brother of the second lady constable. Visibly distressed, Gawade – posted at Vasco railway police station – stated that the brother-sister pair repeatedly threatened him, while his girlfriend allegedly asked him “to die” when he tried to bring a disputed matter to consensus including their proposed love marriage. “I apologise for taking this extreme step,” he said, hold- HIS FINAL WORDS... „„Prathamesh Gawade records a 2.18-minute video accusing two female constables and a civilian of mental torture and harassment before his suicide „„Gawade claims that the two female constables, one of whom was his girlfriend, and her brother threatened him and subjected him to emotional distress „„He mentions ongoing disputes with his girlfriend, who allegedly told him to “die” during their conflicts ing the three accountable for his suicide. “They would call me at night to threaten me. They have mentally tortured and harassed me. My girlfriend and I had some disputes which we tried to resolve, but she wouldn’t listen. Her family did not approve of our relationship although mine did…” he explained, adding that his girlfriend imposed a condition he could not accept. In the video, he further claimed that after her duty hours, his girlfriend called, asking him to die. “They have all harassed and tortured me. I just want justice,” he con- cluded. The Agassaim police conceded the viral video was indeed of the deceased cop, however, stated it needs to be verified for appropriate action. “We might call the three persons named in the video for questioning. The case will be probed from all angles,” one of the senior officers justified the delay in taking action on the matter. Gawade’s body was found floating near Berth 9 at Mormugao Port Authority on Sunday, a day after his fatal jump amid heavy traffic on the >Continued on P7 SOME CASES IN THE PAST „„AUGUST 2024: PC Vaibhav Naik died by suicide at his residence „„MARCH 2021: Assistant sub-inspector Santosh Naik attached to Porvorim police station ended his life „„AUGUST 2018: A newly recruited LPC poisoned herself after she was allegedly sexually abused and harassed by a married PSI „„MARCH 2017: LPC, attached to the North Goa Superintendent of Police office, hung herself at her Porvorim residence „„OCTOBER 2015: PSI Gaurish Malik allegedly attempted to kill himself by firing a bullet from his service revolver at his chest Trading scamster’s arrest raises concerns of tenant verification Fugitive hopped between several guest houses, stayed in Goa for 3 months THE GOAN I NETWORK >> See pg 5 This data processing assistant not cowed down by polio, but lives life to fullest PANAJI A fresh case that has exposed glaring loopholes in tenant verification, Dipankar Barman, accused of orchestrating a massive Rs 7,000 crore scam across Assam and other states, was ‘holidaying’ undetected in Goa until his arrest on Sunday. The fraudster was hopping between guest houses and small hotels across the coastal belts of North and South, pretending to be a tourist, for about three months. The fugitive’s arrest came after the Assam police, pursuing him since August, received another tip-off about his location. Earlier, the Assam police conducted a futile search for him in Goa. “He was hiding in Goa for around 3 months. Goa Police were searching for him alongside Assam police. He is arrested with the recovery of Rs 27 lakh cash and other articles,” a message by the PRO Goa Police stated. Goa, a safe haven for criminals? PANAJI: Barman’s arrest has raised recurring concerns over the State’s reputation as a refuge for those evading the law. On September 19, choreographer Shaik Jani Basha alias Jani Master, was arrested in Goa by Cyberabad’s Special Operation Team (SOT) on sexual assault charges. Reports suggest that Goa police were reportedly unaware of his presence or his subsequent arrest until media coverage. The same month saw Tollywood actor Abhishek arrested by Hyderabad police for his alleged involvement in drug-related activities. The actor was reportedly operating a restaurant in Goa while on the run, and he even skipped the court warrants. In another case, after a tip-off from Punjab counterparts, Calangute police arrested six persons hiding in a hotel following an attempted murder in Punjab and faced 18 separate criminal cases in their native state. There have been similar past incidents including in 2022 when one Javed Kazi, wanted for rape and cheating in Maharashtra was located only after Pune police alerted its counterparts in Goa about his hideout in Bazarmoll. Now the question: While the Crime Branch played a supporting role in arresting the accused – ultimately recovering Rs 27 lakh in cash and other items linked to his fraudulent operations – was his verification not carried out by the accommodation facilities? >Continued on P7 Census likely from early 2025, future cycles to be changed; no decision on caste yet PTI NEW DELHI he much-delayed decadal census exercise and the work to update the National Population Register (NPR) are likely to begin early 2025 and the data will be declared by 2026, thus changing future census cycles completely, official sources said. However, no decision has been taken yet on whether caste census will also be carried out along with the general census. The country’s population count has been conducted every 10 years since 1951, but the census work in 2021 could not be carried out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So T THE CHANGING FUTURE CYCLES „„In all probability, the work for the census and the NPR will begin early next year and the population data will be announced by 2026 „„With this, the census cycle is likely to be changed. So, it will be 2025-2035 and then 2035-2045 and so on in future far, no formal announcement has been made on its next schedule. “In all probability, the work for the census and the NPR will begin early next year and the population data will be announced by 2026. With this, the census cycle is likely to be changed. So, it will be 20252035 and then 2035-2045 and so on in future,” sources privy to the thinking of the govern- ment said. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner had prepared 31 questions to be asked to the citizens during the census exercise. These questions include whether the head of the household belongs to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and other family members as asked in the previous census. Opposition Congress and the RJD are among the political parties which have been demanding a caste census so that the total OBC population in the country is known. “The government has not yet taken any decision on caste census,” a source said. It is to be seen whether the government will go ahead with the delimitation exercise, which is due in 2026, after the census data is published. Several political leaders from Southern states have expressed their apprehensions over the possibility of their states losing out on Lok Sabha seats and thereby their political clout as they have >Continued on P7 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 SPORTS Gary Kirsten resigns as Pakistan’s limited-overs coach 14