Goa

Panaji, Dec 18 (PTI) A protest was held in Panaji's Azad Maidan on Wednesday evening to condemn the new citizenship law.

Addressing the crowd, retired IAS officer and activist Arvind Bhatikar alleged that "all the MPs in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha who have voted in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) are culprits. They are anti-nationals".

The protesters held placards opposing the CAA, which grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who came to India till December 31, 2014.

Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) The Goa Congress women's wing on Tuesday said capital punishment was the only way to curb crimes like rape in the country.

It supported Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark that India was now known as "rape capital" of the world.

The recent trend of rapes and killings of innocent victims clearly reflects what Gandhi has stated, Goa Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Pratima Coutinho said.

Panaji, Nov 22 (PTI) A Goa court on Friday granted bail to suspended swimming coach Surajit Ganguly accused of raping a minor girl in September this year.

Ganguly, employed at the time with Goa Swimming Association, was accused of rape by a 15-year-old girl training under him.

Panaji, Nov 16 (PTI) A Russian tourist died after his two-wheeler collided with another bike in Arambol beach village in North Goa on Friday evening, police said on Saturday.

While Denis Belyakov died on the spot, Alyssa Dawn Hammel who was riding another two-wheeler injured, a police official said.

Hammel, a US national, suffered injury to her leg, he said, adding that she was recuperating at hospital.

Panaji, Nov 13 (PTI) Goa is soon likely to get an 'Organic Agriculture University', which would primarily focus on studying organic crops that could be grown in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar said on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant gave an in-principle nod to the proposal during a meeting held on Tuesday, Kavlekar, who is also the state's agriculture minister, told PTI.

"The government has set a target of one year to set up the university, the first-of-its-kind in the state," he said.

Panaji, Nov 8 (PTI) A 20-year-old woman from United States of America has been missing since Thursday morning from a hostel in the coastal Anjuna area in Goa, police said.

Anjuna police inspector Suraj Gawas said Elizabeth Mann arrived alone in Goa on October 24 and was staying in a hostel.

"The CCTV footage of the hostel shows Elizabeth left her room voluntarily at around 5am on Thursday. Her mother contacted the American Embassy after which a missing complaint was taken," he said.

Panaji, Nov 7 (PTI) Ahead of the verdict in the Ayodhya case, the Goa government on Thursday imposed prohibitory orders in the state till further orders.

The Supreme Court is likely to deliver the verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid case in the next few days.

Additional District Magistrate Vikas S N Gaunekar said in his order that "upon delivery of the verdict there are chances of communal disharmony", and processions or protests by various groups could disturb peace.

Panaji, Oct 21 (PTI) Stray cattle brought to a cow shelter in Goa are found to have turned non-vegetarian, state minister Michael Lobo has claimed.

The animals developed this habit by feasting on leftover chicken and fried fish dumped in garbage, he said.

"We brought 76 cattle from Calangute area to the gaushala where they are being looked after. We realised that they have turned non-vegetarian," Lobo said during a function at Arpora village in North Goa district on Sunday.

Panaji, Oct 17 (PTI) A teacher of a government-run school in Goa was arrested on Thursday for allegedly molesting five girl students, police said.

The arrest was made after the five students of the school, located in Ponda town of South Goa district, complained to the authorities against the teacher, Manoj Phadte, Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas told reporters.

Panaji, Oct 7 (PTI) A Goa Court on Monday adjourned till October 21 the trial against Tehelka magazine founder Tarun Tejpal in a sexual assault case lodged by his former woman colleague, after the victim failed to attend the hearing.

The additional district and sessions court at Mapusa will continue hearing on October 21, 22 and 23, when the victim would be cross-examined by Tejpal's counsel, special public prosecutor Francisco Tavora told reporters.