Team Goemkarponn
MAPUSA: The Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress, led by Dr Pratyksha Khalap, has strongly condemned the brutal assault on entrepreneur couple Shruti and Vivek Shirodkar in Bastora and issued a 15-day ultimatum to the state government to arrest all accused, including the prime suspects Tulshidas Shetye and Kartik Shetye.
After visiting the victims, Dr Khalap addressed the media, criticizing the breakdown of law and order in the state. “Is this governance or Gundashahi? Only three arrests have been made, while the main culprits remain free. Goa is being reduced to a banana republic,” she said.
She alleged that lawyers and police personnel were among the mob that attacked the couple, emboldening the perpetrators and creating a culture of impunity. “This is no longer about goondaism alone — when learned individuals are part of a lynch mob, it reflects a total collapse of the system,” Khalap said, urging that all those involved be booked for attempted murder.
Dr Khalap further highlighted the trauma faced by the pregnant victim, alleging that the couple was threatened while trying to file a police complaint. “They told her, ‘Let the child die, we’ll help you get another’ — what kind of cruelty is this?” she asked, demanding immediate action to protect the family.
The Mahila Congress has called for the formation of a special investigation committee, and held the Chief Minister, also the Home Minister, accountable for ensuring justice. “The state must act now. If anything happens to the unborn child, the government will be responsible,” she warned.
Dr Khalap was accompanied by Mollie Da Gama Silva, North Goa District President; Deepa Dhupdale, Mapusa Mahila Congress Vice President; and Babita Naik, Mahila President of Aldona Block.
