Opposition demands SIT probe over 2 deaths at EDM fest

The mysterious deaths of two youngsters from Andhra Pradesh outside the popular Sunburn Klassique electronic dance music festival in Goa on Friday has taken a political turn, with the Opposition demanding the Tourism Minister’s resignation and a probe into the deaths by a retired High Court judge.

Congress spokesperson Trajano D’Mello on Saturday said, that a special investigation team led by a retired High Court judge should probe the deaths of Sai Prasad (31) and Venkat (26), both of whom fainted while in the queue at the festival venue at Vagator beach village in North Goa on Friday afternoon.

“The police seem to be trying to cover up the matter. The deaths, which are not the first at EDM festivals in Goa, should be probed by a special investigation team led by a retired High Court judge,” D’Mello said.

He also alleged that the two youngsters died of suspected drug overdose.

This is not the first time that tourists have died in mysterious circumstances at Goa’s EDM events.

In 2014, a Mumbai-based fashion designer died following an alleged drug overdose at an EDM festival in Goa. Two youngsters, who were in Goa for an EDM festival in 2017, also died of drug overdose according to the police.

Police sources said, that the viscera samples from internal organs of both the deceased had been sent to a Central Forensic Science Laboratory outside the state to determine the presence of narcotic substances and the results would be available in a few days.

“There is no conclusion which can be drawn about the cause of their deaths after the initial post mortem. We will be to know more after the viscera analysis,” a senior police official said.

Goa Women’s Congress president Pratima Coutinho also demanded Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar’s resignation on account of the deaths.