Panaji: Rape victim’s ‘disappearance’ grabs eyeballs

The sudden disappearance of a rape victim, whose complaint in 2016 had led to the arrest of Atanasio Monserrate, now Congress’ candidate for the May 19 Panaji assembly bypoll, has emerged as one of the key issues for the contest.

While the BJP has now stepped up pressure, smelling a conspiracy in the disappearance of the victim on April 28, from a shelter home run by Catholic nuns in South Goa district, the Congress has blamed the BJP for trying to fabricate a conspiracy on bypoll eve, even alleging that the victim would conveniently return after the elections.

The controversy blew up on Monday, after officials at the Verna police station booked a case of abduction against unknown persons, after the victim, who was a minor at the time of rape in 2016, stepped out of the shelter home on her own and did not return last month.

“We have filed a case of abduction under section 362 of the Indian Penal Code. The victim has been missing since April 28. She has disappeared in the past on several occasions, but she has always returned back to the home,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Sunita Sawant told Deccan Herald.

The victim was last seen alighting from a bus on April 28, which she boarded near the shelter home where she was being rehabilitated.

In 2016, Monserrate was arrested for allegedly raping the victim, who was then a minor and was chargesheeted last year.

The BJP now alleges that Monserrate, who also faces criminal cases related to arson, assault, could have been part of a “conspiracy” which led to her disappearance. “The government should probe this matter thoroughly and the victim should be tracked down and given protection,” state BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said.

Responding to the BJP's charge, state Congress president Vinay Tendulkar said that the victim’s safety and security incumbent government’s responsibility, in which it had failed.

“It is the BJP-led coalition government’s job to ensure that she is safe. They have failed in this. And the manner in which this case has erupted just before the bypoll shows that the BJP is using the police to target the Congress candidate,” Chodankar said.