There was a time when Goa took pride in being a place where children could play in neighbourhoods, families could walk without fear and communities looked out for one another. That sense of security was part of Goa’s identity. Today, that confidence is being shattered by incidents that should outrage every citizen and shake the government out of its complacency.
What is happening to Goa?
The alleged sexual assault of a three-year-old girl in Mapusa on Diwali night was horrific enough to leave the state speechless. Before the shock could even settle, another four-year-old girl was allegedly raped in Canacona. Two incidents involving children of such tender ages within days are not merely isolated crimes to be condemned through routine statements. They demand a serious examination of Goa’s policing, child protection mechanisms and the government’s approach to public safety.
These are children who cannot understand the cruelty inflicted upon them, let alone defend themselves. Their childhood has been violated by people who should never have been allowed anywhere near them.
The Mapusa incident raises particularly disturbing questions. The child was allegedly taken into an abandoned building near Lohia Ground, where she was sexually assaulted. The incident reportedly occurred in a busy area during Diwali celebrations. People were around, yet the child remained vulnerable for a considerable period before she was discovered.
The subsequent investigation also exposed gaps in CCTV coverage around the location. How can a busy commercial town like Mapusa have abandoned structures and poorly monitored public spaces where such crimes can take place? Who is responsible for identifying and securing unsafe buildings? Why must the administration wake up only after a tragedy?
The arrest of the accused, a Karnataka native, is a welcome development. Similarly, the arrest of a Bihar native in connection with the Canacona case shows that the police have acted. But arrests cannot become the government’s only measure of success. The larger question is why children are being exposed to such horrific situations in the first place.
Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar’s statement that 90 per cent of such crimes are committed by outsiders has added another dimension to the debate. There is certainly a need to examine the role of migrant workers and people entering Goa for employment, particularly when serious crimes are committed by individuals who have recently arrived in the state.
The Canacona accused was reportedly a Bihar native who had arrived in Goa just two days before the incident. The Mapusa accused was also from outside Goa.
The government cannot afford to ignore the security challenges arising from an increasingly mobile workforce. Verification of workers, accommodation records and effective coordination between employers, police stations and local authorities are legitimate requirements. Goa must know who is entering its towns and villages, where people are employed and whether basic verification procedures are being followed.
However, blaming outsiders cannot become an excuse for avoiding the larger responsibility. Criminals do not acquire criminal tendencies merely by crossing a state border. Sexual predators can emerge from anywhere, including within our own communities. The identity of an accused is relevant to investigation, but it cannot replace a comprehensive child protection policy.
More importantly, the government must stop shifting the burden of safety onto parents. Following the Canacona incident, Tawadkar appealed to parents to remain vigilant and take greater responsibility for their children’s safety. Parental vigilance is important, but should parents now be expected to guard their children every minute because public spaces have become unsafe?
A government exists precisely because citizens cannot individually provide security against every possible threat.
The statistics are equally disturbing. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has cited NCRB figures claiming that Goa recorded 13 rape and child sexual abuse cases per lakh population in 2024, the highest among states and more than three times the national average. He also pointed to a conviction rate of just 9.4 per cent in crimes against women and a large backlog of cases. These figures demand an official response rather than political counterarguments.
If the figures are accurate, Goa is facing a deeply entrenched problem. A high number of detected crimes combined with low convictions raises serious questions about investigation quality, prosecution and the speed of judicial proceedings.
The government must urgently strengthen child protection infrastructure. Functional CCTV networks, regular inspections of abandoned buildings, proper verification of workers, stronger police patrolling in vulnerable areas, child-friendly reporting mechanisms and more effective implementation of the POCSO Act must become priorities.
Fast-track courts must ensure that cases involving sexual offences against children are heard without unnecessary delays. Equally important is the provision of sustained medical, psychological and financial support to survivors and their families. Their identities and dignity must be protected at every stage.
The Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has taken suo motu cognisance of the Mapusa incident and sought a time-bound investigation. But commissions and committees cannot substitute for an administration that anticipates risks and prevents crimes.
Goa cannot continue selling itself as a safe destination to tourists while failing to guarantee the safety of its own children. Tourism promotion, infrastructure projects, festivals and political celebrations mean little if a three-year-old cannot be safe in a public place.
This is no longer about political parties, outsiders or insiders. It is about the conscience of a society and the responsibility of a government.
Two children have allegedly suffered unimaginable brutality within days. Their suffering must not disappear from public memory once the headlines fade.
Goa must stop asking who is responsible for bringing crime into the state and start asking why its children are not being protected.
A society is judged not by the prosperity it displays or the tourists it attracts, but by how safely it allows its most vulnerable citizens to live.
On that count, Goa has some very uncomfortable questions to answer.
