Goa: The dark side of Goa, India's tourist paradise surfaces when crime against foreigners are reported. But in this very state, an alleged serial killer murdered seven Goan women and almost got away with it. He was finally arrested three weeks ago, 15 years after the first case was reported.
Mahanand Naik, is the man alleged to be Goa's serial killer. The 40-year-old rickshaw driver has been arrested on charges of murdering 7 women and raping one, over a period of 15 years.
His first victim, Darshana Naik was found hanging from a cashew tree in 1994 30 km from her house.
At the time the police had registered a case of suicide.
But his game was finally up after his last victim Yogita Naik disappeared in January. The police recovered her body and traced his number from her cell phone records. Naik later confessed.
Her family is inconsolable.
"He should be hanged to death," said Pramod Naik, brother of the victim.
The police say Mahanand lured his victims with the bait of marriage.
"He would ask them to wear their jewellery and then he would take them to an isolated spot and use their dupatta to strangulate them," said Serafin Dias, Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The arrest led to a public outcry with the local residents attacking Naik's house. Anger that now extends to the police who have no answers on why it took them so long to act.