Two attacks on foreign women tourists within week, Goa CM asks hoteliers to obtain Labour Card

Panaji, March 31: With two incidents of hotel staff attacking foreign women tourists within a week, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has asked hoteliers to obtain ‘Goa Labour Card’ before employing staff and check their criminal records, if any.

On Thursday one Abhishek Verma, 27, native of Uttarakhand, working as bartender in the resort in Pernem-North Goa, was arrested for allegedly attacking a foreign woman tourist staying in the same resort.

“Verma has been arrested and police are investigating the case,” Sawant said.

“Hoteliers should obtain ‘Goa Labour Card’ for their staff while they engage them in service. This will help to have their permanent address saved with the labour department. Don’t engage staff with criminal records. We have seen that hotel staff are involved in such crimes. Police are investigating this case,” Sawant said in the ongoing assembly session.

“Such incidents should not take place. Police are taking action but hoteliers should also take measures,” Sawant said.

According to police, on Wednesday night, the accused person trespassed into the rented tent of the complainant (foreign woman tourist) and subsequently, she raised an alarm. Then, the accused tried to hold her and threatened her. When she raised alarm for help, one local person (Eurico Dias) came to rescue her after which the accused ran away. Thereafter, the accused person returned with the knife and assaulted local person with knife who had come to rescue the complainant, also assaulted tourist with knife and fled away from the spot,” North Goa Superintendent of Police Nidhin Valsan said.

The complainant and the local person were shifted to the hospital for treatment. Pernem police have registered a case under various sections of the IPC.

“The knife used for commission of crime has been recovered,” Valsan said.

Chief Minister Sawant said that local person Eurico Dias, who saved the complainant will be rewarded.

“He (Dias) is admitted in hospital and out of danger. I congratulate him for saving the life of that woman and for this, my government will reward him,” Sawant said.

Earlier, on March 25, two persons, natives of Assam and Jharkhand respectively, working as waiter and electrician in a hotel at North Goa were arrested for allegedly trying to attack and rob a Russian national in the hotel room.