Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar has expressed deep shock and outrage over the alleged sexual assault of a four-year-old girl near Lohia Garden in Mapusa, questioning the Home Department over the reported failure to address earlier complaints about suspicious activities and unsafe conditions in the locality.
Describing the incident as a horrific tragedy, Chodankar said that the alleged assault on a child inside an abandoned building in a prominent area of Mapusa raises serious concerns about public safety and preventive policing.
“A four-year-old child, reportedly found bleeding and in unbearable pain, has been subjected to an ordeal that no child should ever have to endure. As a father, I cannot even begin to imagine the agony and trauma her parents are going through. The entire incident is deeply disturbing and demands an immediate response from the authorities,” he said.
Chodankar pointed out that concerns regarding alleged prostitution, drug abuse and other illegal activities in and around the locality had reportedly been raised repeatedly by citizens and highlighted in the media.
Questioning the authorities over the alleged lack of preventive action, he asked, “If complaints about suspicious activities and unsafe conditions in this locality were repeatedly brought to the notice of the authorities, what preventive action was taken? Why was an abandoned building in such a prominent location allowed to remain a potential haven for illegal activities? Were these complaints investigated, or were they simply ignored? The government must answer these questions.”
Holding the Home Department accountable for explaining the preventive and policing measures undertaken in the area, Chodankar questioned Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, who also holds the Home portfolio, over the reported failure to address safety concerns.
“Public safety cannot be compromised through administrative indifference. The Home Department must explain what action was taken on earlier complaints, whether police patrols were conducted and whether the abandoned premises were inspected. Citizens cannot be expected to repeatedly raise concerns while authorities fail to act,” he stated.
Chodankar demanded an immediate, impartial and time-bound investigation into the alleged assault, along with the swift identification, arrest and prosecution of those responsible in accordance with the law.
He also called for an independent inquiry into any possible negligence by the police and other concerned authorities, a review of earlier complaints regarding alleged illegal activities in the locality, and immediate measures to secure abandoned buildings and identify other unsafe locations across Goa.
Emphasising the need to prioritise the child’s welfare, he demanded the best possible medical treatment, psychological counselling, protection and rehabilitation, with strict safeguards to preserve her identity and dignity.
“Dr. Pramod Sawant must understand that protecting children is among the most fundamental responsibilities of the government. If a four-year-old child can allegedly be assaulted in an abandoned building in the heart of Mapusa, serious questions arise about the safety arrangements and preventive policing in our towns and cities,” Chodankar said.
He further cautioned that the incident must not be reduced to a routine police investigation or allowed to fade from public attention after the initial outrage.
“This is not merely about one horrific incident. It is about the safety of every child, every woman and every citizen. The little girl deserves justice, her parents deserve answers, and the authorities must be held accountable wherever negligence is established. We cannot allow this matter to be forgotten,” Chodankar asserted.
