Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji
Panaji, Jun 18: In a shocking case that has rocked the coastal state of Goa, a 22-year-old woman from Bengaluru was brutally murdered during a trip by her male friend, who suspected her of being in a relationship with another man. The chilling incident took place inside the Mollem Wildlife Sanctuary in Dharbandora and was cracked by Goa Police within 24 hours, earning praise for their swift action.
The victim, employed as a non-teaching staff member at a school in Bengaluru, had travelled to Goa with Sanjay Kevin M (22), a former classmate from Karnataka. The two met in Haveri and took a Kadamba Transport Corporation bus to Goa from Hubballi.
According to South Goa SP Tikam Singh Verma, the suspect allegedly planned the murder in advance and carried a knife with him. On Sunday, the pair alighted near Pilliem in the remote forest area of Dharbandora. Under the guise of taking a walk, Kevin reportedly lured the woman into the forest and viciously slit her throat before fleeing the scene in a taxi to Hubballi, taking the victim’s mobile phone with him.
On Monday morning, a local farmer stumbled upon the woman’s lifeless body, located roughly 100 metres from the main road. Police termed it a “blind murder” due to the absence of identity or immediate leads. However, forensic teams, dog squads, and technical experts were quickly deployed to the scene.
Key Clue Leads to Swift Arrest
A major breakthrough came when investigators found a bus ticket in the victim’s handbag. The digital UPI payment used for the fare linked directly to Kevin’s phone number. Acting on this lead, Goa Police traced him to Hubballi with assistance from Karnataka Police and arrested him early Tuesday morning.
During interrogation, Kevin confessed to the murder, citing jealousy and suspicions of the victim being involved with someone else. He also admitted to an argument between the two during their trip. Police are still searching for the murder weapon, believed to be the knife Kevin used, which was not recovered from the crime scene.
The Ponda police station has registered a formal case of murder, and Kevin has been remanded to seven-day police custody by a local court. The victim’s family, shattered by the news, is awaiting further updates on the investigation.
This gruesome incident comes close on the heels of a similar crime in Bengaluru, where a 25-year-old techie allegedly stabbed his girlfriend 13 times after she ended their relationship — raising growing concerns about relationship-based violence among youth.