Government Employee Arrested In Rape Case Suspended: Goa Chief Minister

A government employee, arrested in the case of gang rape of two minor girls on a beach in Goa, has been suspended from service, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said in the state Assembly on Thursday.

Four men, including the government employee (a driver with the agriculture department), allegedly posed as policemen and raped the girls after beating up two boys who were with the victims on Benaulim beach, around 30 km south of Goa's capital, on Sunday.

All the four accused have been arrested, police said.

"One of the accused, who is a government servant, has been suspended from service," Mr Sawant said in the House during the Zero Hour on Thursday.

A process is underway to dismiss him from the service, the CM added.

Meanwhile, Goa Director General of Police Mukesh Kumar Meena told reporters that patrolling along the beaches and isolated spots has been intensified to avoid recurrence of such incidents.

Under pressure from the opposition over the gang rape of the two girls, Mr Sawant is facing flak for remarking in the state Assembly that parents need to introspect on why their children were on the beach late at night.

"When 14-year-olds stay on the beach the whole night, the parents need to introspect. Just because children don't listen, we cannot put the responsibility on the government and police," Sawant had said on Wednesday, during a debate on a calling attention notice in the House.

Mr Sawant, who also holds the home portfolio, had said parents have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their children and hinted that they should not let their children, particularly minors, out at night.