Panaji:
Police are inching closer to the man who sexually molested a 9-year-old Russian girl on a North Goa Beach. The man is said to be from Uttar Pradesh, and along with his accomplice worked for a pharma company in North Goa.
While the investigations are showing signs of progress, the incident itself has sparked a political war of sorts between the Congress Chief Minister and his Tourism Minister from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Caught in between are the 9-year-old girl and her mother, who are fighting for justice.
The Goa Police have said that Aman Bharadwaj was responsible for sexually assaulting the 9-year-old Russian child on Arambol Beach.
On Tuesday evening, as the girl and her mother spent time at the beach, Bharadwaj and a friend are said to have approached the girl's mother. Then, Bharadwaj is alleged to have taken the child aside and sexually assaulted her.
This has been confirmed by the medical report, which says her private parts were violated.
On being asked are you scared? The victim's mother said 'no'. She wants the man responsible for the act to be arrested.
The Police are now on the hunt for the two men involved in the case.
This is the third sexual assault on a Russian national in two months.
Drawing sharp criticism, yet again from the Russian Embassy, which has even threatened to issue an advisory warning its citizens not to visit Goa.
Commenting on the incident, counsel for Russian Federation Vikram Varma said, "There have been 20-25 cases of Russians raging from assault to homicide. In none of these cases the investigations have been satisfactory."
On being asked that there was a feeling that the Goa government was not doing enough, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said, "No, no nothing like that." A tame defence from a Congress Chief Minister, who seems more intent battling the NCP Tourism Minister.
"It is disgusting. I have sent the Chief Minister a confidential note. We are losing Goa's name unnecessarily," said Goa Tourism Minister Mickey Pacheco.
As the Chief Minister and his NCP rival play political tug of war, the investigations are being keenly tracked, both by the child's family, and the Russian Embassy to ensure justice is neither delayed nor denied.