http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=28648&cid=10
From todays Herald newspaper.

This makes for grim reading!! just seen it in the telegraph.... anyone else heard anything about this???

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/6336316/Goa-murders-raise-fears-of-serial-killer.html

Chilly

I did report but it was taken off... they 'say' one man has been arested for killing the 'family' (inc children) in Panjim, but nothing for the others yet (which are separate)...

I have returned your post Rob and another posted by another member as they do seem to be relevant with what is happening in Goa at the moment. Both posts merged with this one.

Sarah

Very worrying for those of us travelling alone
I shall exercise caution by using my regular known and trusted taxi driver at night and ensure I don't walk alone in unlit areas.
Sadly the killer seems to be targeting locals, just hope that he/she doesn't start focusing on tourists too.

Stay Safe.................Fizz

absolutely Fizz, like anywhere in the world its about sound common sense and caution....sad though ...but happens the world over it seems
chilly

That's awful.

Let's hope the Goan police can drag themselves away from tapping up tourists and screwing traders for long enough to catch this nutter.

Rob or anyone out in Goa any updates please from the papers in the last 2 days

Senior officers on Thursday sought to reassure tourists and local women that they were not in danger in the state,

yeaa my head is chocolate want a wee bite ... how on earth can they say that ....colleen

Hi..

As far as I am aware the latest is that there were 10 suspected killings, 4 of them have apparently been solved as a guy has been arrested, like I said earlier, he (or they?) were trying to steal scrap from the women/man who were fished out of the river, their two children were also killed and dump (so sad), saw one of the children on tv this morning.. not nice...

The others, not heard any developments other than these

The ones that started it all off (the burnt bodies) I don't think they've got any further with
http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/4136-hints-of-particular-pattern-in-3-cases" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="break-word">http://
http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/4136-hints-of-particular-pattern-in-3-cases

From the police comments... "He cautioned people, particularly tourists not to move freely during odd hours."

As none of the victims (as far as I am aware) have been tourists, I find this a strange comment, also to try and lighten the mood, does that mean 5, 7 and 9 O'clock (being odd hours)...

I would like to pass on my condolences to all the families who have lost someone during these terrible crimes and truely hope the guilty parties are caught and held responsible for their actions.

Also these two stories.....

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Special-police-teams-doctors-panel-to-probe-deaths/articleshow/5125894.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Serial-killings-of-women-not-ruled-out-DIG/articleshow/5129734.cms

Well I certainly won't be entrusting my security to any "tin pot" official in Goa because I don't believe:

a) they know where to start
b) they know what to do
c) they actually know there way out of the police station!

It always seems over there that any unexpected/violent/unexplained demise is:

a) the dead persons fault (ie drink/drugs/sex involved)
b) they drowned (this one always seems to be their favourite)!
c) Natural causes
d) all of the above - but no post mortem so just take your pick and take a guess - anything will do!

I sincerely hope they do pull their fingers out and catch whoever it is but I tend to think that if us tourists think they are about as useful as a chocolate fire guard then we can only guess at what the locals are thinking
Fizz

Apparently two Goans have now been arrested in the cases of the burnt bodies, it seems at least one of them knew the young girl who was murdered, but don't know the connections for the other women...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr-QRLeE35U

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Police-arrest-two-say-serial-murders-solved/articleshow/5133799.cms

Will have to see....

Thanks Rob for putting it on the site, there are those on here who would not let people see the real Goa, those of us who are there
6 months at a time see a different side, the real Goa. It is sad how things have deterioated.
Our Rose tinted glasses are now well and truly off. It would be lovely to go back to the good old days.

Twm,

Sad, but yes, increasingly less rose tinted.... :s

Our Rose tinted glasses are now well and truly off. It would be lovely to go back to the good old days.

The first time we went to Goa, about 10 years ago our friends were staying in a 'posh' bungalow on the left as you go down to the Calangute steps. They were woken up one night by screaming but didn't know what was going on and didn't want to find out.

Next day a local had gone off it, on the fenny, murdered his wife and a couple of children- so lets go back to the old days

These things happen , in Goa or in the UK. Lets hope it doesn't happen to us or our friends and family.

Yes, that was the 'Lobster Pot Restaurant' murder, a simple Goan domestic dispute easily settled, except wasn't it the wife who killed the husband? I think that was the same year the British woman was gang raped by the beach shack staff at Baga while her husband took a nap back at their room. The police nabbed the culprits in that case (six of the seven chargesheeted rapists were Goan, the cook was Nepalese). Sadly, the victim killed herself back in the UK just before she was due to journey to Goa for the trial. It was also the same year the taxi driver 'guide' escorted the young blind English girl, on holiday with her grandmother, over the headland to the small beach beyond Nani and Rani's at Baga and raped her.

It wasn't the unsolved case of two Russian corpses found in the undergrowth last year at Vagator, the unsolved case of the Russian girl found beheaded earlier this year at the railway track near Tivim, the unsolved case of the body of the foreigner found dead at Arambol beach having won a significant amount of gambling winnings playing amongst locals, the unsolved case of Stephen Bennett who was mysteriously found hanging from a tree in a remote village in Maharashtra having last been seen in Baga, Goa. Nor are we talking about Scarlette Keeling here. Or the unlawful sexual intercourse and molestation of the German girl of minor age by the son (who was chargesheeted and is presently out on bail for the offence) of a prominent Goan politician.

A 'posh bungalow' at Calangute steps, even ten years ago???? Nope, can't quite place it. Never mind. Calangute today is wonderful, simply oozes charm and sophistication, 'queen of beaches' and all that, no doubt about that???

Lets hope they clean it up in a hurry, because as of today, the whole Candolim-Calangute-Baga strip is absolutely filthy. Few shacks open and full of Russians..........maybe they dont notice the squalor?

Must admit that my rose tinted glasses came off about 5 years ago which was when I visited Goa alone for the first time. Nothing particular happened to me but there were times when I felt quite vulnerable, there are some very sleazy chaps out there and one in particular who ran a jewellers shop made my skin crawl. You do tend to notice a lot more when you are there on your own, strange how your senses are heightened when they have to be.
Fizz

Yes, I heard so many stories from 'long-timers' last year that made me feel very uneasy, especially involving violent crime (or threats) towards women.

Considering Goa is only 65miles by 25 miles (approx), there seems to be a lot more serious crime at present (last 3 years and that's only what we hear through Goan newspapers). I'm not scaremongering but you really have to pitch the crime level against the size of Goa.... it's a VERY small state. How many murders, unsolved sudden deaths have been documented in the last 3 years? For the size of the place too many.

It is unlikely anyone on a 2 week package holiday would take notice of all this. I do not believe Goa is safer than UK and would be unwise to assume it is. I would always keep my wits about me in dark areas and even if you are a single male (also applies to women) find another European to make friends with, and tell them your general movements if you plan moving around. And don't assume all Goans are your friend. If you adhere to this you will no doubt have a lovely time.

I've not been on here for a long time so finding it interesting to read some of the recent posts. I was last in Goa 2007/08 season and from what I've read on here and heard from friends in Goa things haven't improved much at all.....such a shame!! Do I miss it??.....not a bit!!
As other people have pointed out Goa has always had its darker side and spending longer than two weeks a year there certainly brings it to light. After six years of doing six to eight month stints I learnt to ditch the Rose coloured specs and had my eyes well and truly wide open
Stay safe and enjoy your hols despite whats going on over there, there are worse places you could be!!
GFF xx