Foreign tourists looted at gunpoint in Goa
August 26th, 2010 - 5:26 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, Aug 26 (IANS) More than 24 hours after two foreign tourists, including a woman, and a local resident were looted at gunpoint in Goa’s popular tourist hub Calangute, police said they are yet to nab the culprits.
Two foreigners Imyigo Ardanaz (Spain) and Petra Artiz (Hungary) and the local Karen Roach were returning home from a bar on a motorcycle when two unidentified people robbed them at gun point after chasing them for a distance in the wee hours of Wednesday.
“This is the first time that such a robbery has been attempted. We are working on the case. We have not arrested anyone yet,” district superintendent Arvind Gawas told IANS Thursday.
He said at least one of the gunmen appeared to be a local because he spoke in Konkani, a popularly spoken Goan language.
In their complaint registered with the Calangute police station, the trio have said that the duo had threatened them with a gun and said they would kill them if the matter was reported to the police.
Roach has said in her complaint that they were not carrying much at the time of the robbery and that the amount stolen was about Rs.10,000.
“We were scared for our life. We did not even see how much money we handed over,” she said.
Robberies at gun-point along the coastal belt, which is popular with tourists because of the night hot spots, could prove to be a dampener even as Goa gears to welcome tourists when the tourist season begins in a couple of months.
The state has gained notoriety in recent times following high profile crimes, including rapes of foreign women, and slip-shod police investigations.
- Tar balls, robberies mar Goa's beach parties - Sep 03, 2010
- Russian molested at Goa beach, one held - Jan 10, 2011
- 43 foreigners overstayed, 7 Nigerians missing: Goa minister - Mar 19, 2011
- Three held for attacking 9 Ukrainian tourists - Mar 10, 2011
- Tourists not co-operating in molestation case: Goa Police - Jun 13, 2011
- GPS, electronic meters to make cabs tourist friendly in Goa - Jul 13, 2011
- Goa Police assure NCP leader of probe into cop's suicide - Jun 30, 2011
- Poll strictures could hurt Goa's tourism season - Jan 24, 2012
- Two detained for molesting Russian women in Goa - Apr 04, 2012
- Central forces to guard Goa during tourist season - Dec 06, 2011
- Facelift of two popular Goa beaches to cost Rs.10 crore - Mar 22, 2012
- Cop beaten up by suspected drug dealers in Goa - May 25, 2010
- Restaurateur alleges racist attack by police, locals in Goa - Jan 25, 2011
- Raj Thackeray's aide held for assaulting driver - Mar 29, 2011
- Goa cop booked for threatening magistrate - Jun 29, 2011
Tags: artiz, arvind, calangute, coastal belt, culprits, dampener, district superintendent, foreign women, gun point, gunpoint, notoriety, panaji, police investigations, profile crimes, rapes, returning home, robberies, tourist hub, tourist season, wee hours