Nine-year-old Russian girl raped in Goa beach

A nine-year-old Russian girl was allegedly raped by a tourist in north Goa's popular Arambol beach, police said here on Wednesday.

According to the police complaint filed by the girl's mother at the Pernem police station on Tuesday evening, the incident happened when she was bathing in the sea at Arambol, 45 km from state capital Panaji.

"The girl was bathing in the sea when a person started abusing her. The girl started crying and rushed to her mother, who was on a beach bed. She told her that the man, who we suspect is a tourist named Aman, had inserted his finger inside her," police inspector Uttam Rautdessai said.

The accused fled the scene when the girl complained to her mother. The girl was later sent for medical examination to a government hospital in Panaji, which confirmed penetration.

"Late last night, after the medical examination we filed a rape complaint under Section 376 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and relevant sections of the Goa Children's Act," the official said.

He added that police were tracking down the accused on the basis of the description given by the mother.

"As of now, what we know is that his name is Aman and he could be staying in any of the lodgings located within a radius of three km from the beach," Rautdessai said.

Police later added that two people were probably involved in the crime.

"While one physically abused the girl, who was swimming in the sea, the other person was on the beach distracting the victim's mother," a police source said.

Sources further said that an artist had been roped in to draw a sketch of the suspected accused people, one of whom is reportedly called Aman. All guest houses near Arambol beach are also being searched by police teams.

Tourism Minister Kumari Selja, meanwhile, called up Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and asked him to provide more security to foreigners in the wake of the alleged rape of the nine-year-old.

"The minister called up the chief minister this evening and asked him to give the full report of the incident," sources in the ministry said.

Child right groups and legal experts welcomed the police decision to file a rape case though there was no penile penetration.

"Penetration of any kind has to be considered as rape. Non-existence of penile penetration is not an excuse if there is penetration using a finger," leading Goa-based criminal lawyer Raviraj Chodankar said.

Audrey Braganza, who runs a popular child-rights group Child-SCAN, said the police decision to file a rape complaint was a healthy sign. "Only penile penetration is not rape. Their (Goa police) decision to file a rape case is certainly welcome," Braganza said.

A senior police official, however, said that the case was filed as rape to avoid a media backlash.

"Goa police have been a victim of media diatribe in earlier rape cases like the Scarlett (Keeling) and others. We filed the case as rape to avoid the backlash. Sections relating to molestation would have been sufficient in this case," the official said, referring to British teenager Scarlett Keeling who was raped and murdered in 2008 after being administered a cocktail of drugs.

Crimes against foreigners, especially Russians, have seen Goa receive a lot of media attention in recent times.

A 25-year-old Russian woman was raped by a Goan politician in December last year.

Police have also been unable to crack the mysterious death of Russian teenager Elena Sukhonova, whose mangled body was found on the railway tracks near Thivim, 25 km from here.