Russian girl alleges assault by rape accused supporters

The incident took place on Tuesday when the 25-year-old girl was apparently returning after the district and sessions court granted anticipatory bail to the accused John Fernandes.

"I was sitting in the car along with my friend when a mob encircled us and tried to attack. Thankfully, car windows were pulled halfway up and they could not reach us," the girl told PTI last night.

She said someone in the crowd pounced on the car but moved away after seeing a TV journalist arriving at the scene. "The crowd hurled abuses and threatened to finish me off," she alleged.

The victim said she immediately rushed to Panaji, 30 kms away from the scene, to complain to the police about the attempt to assault her."I went to Colva police station where I was referred to Margao police station. They kept shunting me from one place to another. Finally, I gave up," she said.

The girl has written to the Russian consulate claiming that she fears for her life and has lost hopes of getting justice. "Justice is important for me but what's more important is my life," she said.

The victim was allegedly raped by Fernandes after spiking her drink on December one. Fernandes is a high-profile south Goa politician who had unsuccessfully contested 2007 legislative assembly polls from Benaulim constituency under Churchill Alemao's Save Goa Front party.