Make public progress in probe into Siddhi Naik death, says Goa Congress president

Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar on Saturday said the state Chief Minister Pramod Sawant must make public the progress in the probe into the Siddhi Naik death case.

Taking a jibe at the state Chief Minister, the Congress president said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government headed by Sawant has failed in maintaining law and order in the state. The failure of the government to promptly investigate crimes and bring to justice the culprits is visible from the Siddhi Naik death mystery.

Chodankar said, "The father of the unfortunate girl is running from pillar to post for justice. We had heard from a senior leader from the government that before the twelfth-day rituals of late Naik, the mystery of her death will be solved. Unfortunately, even after one month, the people of Goa are waiting to know the truth."

There is no official statement from the government on this case till now. Instead attempts were made to blame the family by terming the death as a "suicide" case, he said.

After the father of the girl lodged a complaint, a blame game began between the police and doctors as to who should decide whether it was a "murder" or "suicide", Chodankar said.

"We appeal to Sawant to make public the status of the investigation and urge everyone not to victimize the family of Siddhi Naik and doing character assassination," he said.

Chodankar said, "We also demand that the Director General of Police take cognisance of the complaint by the father.

"I appeal to everyone to call the late Siddhi Naik a Daughter of Goa and help the government to deliver justice to her. If we do not solve this mystery, it will not be just the failure of the government but of the people of Goa," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )