Selja demands immediate action in Russian minor's rape case

Condemning the Goa rape incident involving a minor Russian girl, tourism minister Kumari Selja today said it was "extremely sad and shameful" and demanded immediate action in the case.

"I spoke to the Goa chief minister and urged upon him to take immediate action in the case. It is extremely sad and shameful," Selja said.

According to Goa police, a nine-year-old Russian girl was allegedly raped yesterday by an unidentified man at Arambol
beach in North Goa.

"I had sought more details from the state as I was told that the incident happened in a restaurant," she said.

According to the complaint filed by the victim's mother at Pernem police station, her daughter was raped while she was playing in the beach waters.

"It is a very serious matter and this should not have happened anywhere in the country. The incident is contrary to our 'Atithi Devo Bhava' (Guest is God) campaign as it gives a bad image to our country throughout the world," she said, adding "We are writing to all state governments to set up tourism police.

When told that Goa already has tourism police, she said it should be made more effective to prevent such incidents.

Incidentally, the ministry is organising a tourism conference in Goa in March.

To a question whether increased attacks on Indians in Australia would affect the flow of tourists to India during the Commonwealth Games, Selja said Australia is an important tourism source market and it would not be affected during the Games.