Goa: Another Scarlett-like Case - Parents Seek DNA Test

Ares - Daijiworld Media Network Goa

Panaji, Jun 29: Two days after he identified the body, father of deceased Meghna Subhedar ( 28-year-old woman has been found at one of Goa's most prominent beaches) today raised fresh doubts on her identity seeking DNA test.
 
Dr Mohan Subhedar, father of 29-year-old software engineer girl found dead on Candolim beach, has written to the police asking for the DNA test to confirm that the body is of his daughter.
 
"Initially, with certain identification marks, I had said that the body is my daughter but after my wife arrived she has raised her doubts on the identity," Subhedar said.

Meghna was missing from Mumbai on April 10 and her dead body was found floating at Candolim beach on June 25. Police had confirmed that she died seven days prior and her body had washed ashore with the strong currents.
 
The father had identified the body on the basis of hair cut and hair quality, the old fracture of the right collar bone, tattoo mark of star like figure on the left arm and a small fibroid in the uterus which was detected by her mother, who is a gynecologist, during the ultra sonography.
 
Doubts were raised today after the mother came up with the contention that the tattoo mark was little higher on her shoulder.
 
"I consulted few of my doctor friends who said that fracture of collar bone and fibroid cannot be considered as identification marks as it can happen to anyone," Subhedar said.
 
He added that since the face was completely mutilated and body decomposed due to sea waters no visible signs of body being that of Meghna could be seen.
 
"When there is a facility of DNA test why not to use it?," he questioned.
 
The father said that he is yet to confirm that the body belongs to her daughter.
 
Police officials confirmed that blood samples of both the parents would be taken for DNA testing.
Apparently clueless over the cause of death, Subhedar said that his daughter had no rivalry with anyone. "She never used to smoke or drink… We cannot suspect any drug consumption angle in that. I still wonder why she came to Goa because we have never been to this place," he said.
 
The father said that his daughter was under tremendous pressure, which can be judged from the CCTV footage procured from Margao (Goa) ATM where she is seen withdrawing the money.

Earlier Story:

In a repeat of the Scarlett Keeling murder case, the body of a 28-year-old woman has been found at one of Goa's most prominent beaches.

Her parents say their daughter may have been murdered. The police have made no arrests so far.

Until now, the doctor couple's daughter Meghna was one of India's many missing people. But their worst fears were confirmed on Thursday when Dr Mohan Subedar identified the body of his 28-year-old daughter.

It was found naked and in a decomposed state at Goa's Candolim beach on June 25.

''It is very difficult to identify as it is badly decomposed. But we are sure it is her,'' said Anjali Subedar, Meghna's mother.

Meghna worked as a software engineer with a reputed company in Bangalore.

A divorcee, she was going home to Korba in Chhattisgarh to see her parents. She called them up on April 10 before boarding her train following which she went missing.

Her father came to Mumbai and filed a missing persons complaint with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway police station.

''After the complaint was filed, we looked at her ICICI bank account. She was withdrawing money from Goa. We sent an officer there to investigate,'' said Shashank Shinde, police inspector, CST police station.

Records show that Meghna withdrew Rs 34,000 in a just four days, from April 11 to 15, a move that has susprised her parents.

However, after the infamous Scarlett Keeling case, Meghna's father isn't ruling out the involvement of Goa's drug mafia.

''The drug mafia is there in Goa. It is a possibility,'' said Dr Mohan Subedar.

The postmortem has been inconclusive as the body was badly decomposed.