Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The death of a Home Guard jawan in Ponda, earlier believed to have been caused by a gaur attack, has taken a new turn after the Forest Department raised questions over the circumstances surrounding the incident and sought a thorough police investigation.
Dinesh Tukaram Gaude, 48, was found seriously injured near Bethoda on May 7 and later succumbed to his injuries. Initial reports had attributed the death to an attack by a wild gaur. However, forest officials now say several factors at the site do not support that conclusion.
In a letter sent to the South Goa police, the department reportedly pointed out that officials inspecting the area failed to find typical signs of gaur presence such as hoof marks, animal droppings, body hair, or disturbed vegetation. The department also stated that the injuries described in the autopsy did not appear consistent with the kind of extensive trauma usually seen in attacks by large wild animals.
Officials noted that the deceased had sustained a major wound in the lower abdominal region along with a minor injury near the neck, but there were no multiple impact injuries commonly associated with gaur attacks. Based on these observations, the department urged police to examine all possible angles in the case.
The Forest Department further questioned why the victim had travelled through an isolated stretch when a more accessible route was available nearby. Authorities also observed that visibility in the area at the time of the incident was reasonably clear, making it difficult to understand why no one could properly identify the animal responsible.
Meanwhile, forensic specialists from the South Goa District Hospital disagreed with the Forest Department’s assessment. Medical experts involved in the post-mortem examination maintained that the injuries were compatible with horn-inflicted wounds and could have resulted from a gaur attack.
Dr. Madhu S.G. Ghodirekar from the hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department reportedly stated that interpretation of autopsy findings should be left to trained medico-legal professionals. The forensic team also expressed concern over confidential post-mortem details being circulated publicly while the investigation is still underway.
