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Tri Continental Film Festival 2008
July 25 - 30, 2008
Goa, India
http://www.moviesgoa.org/page/tri_continental/
http://www.moviesgoa.org/tricon/schedule_2008.pdf
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CANACONA POLICE INCOMPETENCE OR COVER-UP
On 21st July 2008 at 14:15 hours the bruised body of Dominic Coutinho, who was
living alone in his ancestral house at Borkoifond, Canacona, was found lying
naked by his brother Edwin Coutinho. Says Edwin: “There were stains of blood at
the entrance and a chargeable torch lying in the veranda with the door wide
open. It was obvious that Dominic had suffered some head injuries and bruises
at a few places on his body. The first postmortem report suggested head
injuries at the back and also on the forehead. Bruises in the neck, elbow and
knee region were also identified. The first autopsy report does not mention any
vital organ failure which could lead to death.
“There was further reason to suspect murder as the deceased had had a brawl
with some quarry workers around 15 days before his death. The dispute was over
a demand for an additional access road bisecting the property to which he had
refused leading to fisticuffs. The investigating officer, Canacona P. I. Suraj
Halarnkar in his casual approach failed to collect the crucial evidence from
the site which was not cordoned off during the first investigation. Although
there was enough circumstantial evidence to suggest it was a case of murder,
the P. I. registered a case of unnatural death. When pressed by family members
of the deceased to register it as a case of murder, Canacona PI Mr. Halarnkar
refused saying that he has to get permission from the Superintendent of Police
South Goa.”
Subsequently an application was filed on 24th July 2008 in the office of
Superintendent of Police, South Goa, to register the case as murder. But till
date no case is registered. The argument of the police is that the cause of
death in the postmortem is reserved and the police would act only after the
analysis of viscera is obtained. However till 29th July 2008, eight days after
the death, the viscera was not send for analysis in spite of frequent pleas to
the Superintendent of Police to that effect.
Was it incompetence, willful negligence or a deliberate cover-up?
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Tony Martin English Teacher, Freelance Writer and Author
Dubai, UAE Cell: 050-1460524
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