2 Murders, 10 Year Apart. 1 in South Goa and 1 in North : The Stark difference of partiality by Goa Police.
While the Murderer of Amar Bandekar an aboriginal was caught in 2 hours at Arambol and charged with Murder, Justice awaits Felix Dahl and his family, 10 Years on. The fight continues.
Today marks 10 Years since the Murder of 22 Year old Finnish-Swedish Citizen; Felix Dahl at Patnem in South Goa.
Felix Dahl was found dead with multiple skull fractures, leading to brain hemorrhage at a lonely stretch of Canacona on this day in 2015.
Canacona Police immediately dismissed it as an accidental death, despite straight in the face evidence; that this was a murder most foul and gruesome.
Last 10 Years has been an arduous and exhausting very long road to Justice for the family of Felix; his mother Minna (who is a Senior Professor and Researcher at Helsinki University in Finland) and his Aunt Ms. Sanna Cutter.
Right from his Murder, the fight with Goa Police for a fair investigation, the fight to register Felix's death as Murder, Moving to Court for a CBI investigation in the case, after Goa Police closed the case due to lack of evidence. How, the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) bungled the case for 5 Years and finally closed it in the same manner, as Goa Police.
If you count the Leap Year Days, exactly 10 Years later, a Murder happened of a Goan Aboriginal at Arambol beach on 26th January evening. This has been covered in this article here. The stark contrast is baffling, to say the least.
Since, the deceased was a local aboriginal; a lot of So called "Social Workers" and "Activists" descended at the Mandrem Police Station; along with family and friends, demanding justice for the deceased Amar Bandekar.
Goa Police immediately swung into action. Even SP North Goa also reached the Police Station; and one of the accused was immediately apprehended in just a couple of hours. Since then, two more accused identified through CCTV footage have been apprehended. Of the 3, 2 belongs to the State of Himachal Pradesh in India; and the third belongs to Nepal.
While the autopsy report has confirmed that Amar Bandekar of Arambol died due to "Acute Myocardial Infarction" following the attack on him; Goa Police has registered a case of Murder. While the details of extent of injuries on the deceased body is not yet available, as media reports are inconclusive yet.
Now let us compare this chain of events of day-before-yesterday to Felix Dahl case; and there is such a stark contrast; as in how an entire system, including Government of Goa and Goa Police behaved.
Goa Police initial report said, Felix Dahl died as he was doing acrobatics past midnight; at a very lonely stretch of road in Canacona. Though there were multiple fractures in his skull, as the autopsy reported and other injury marks; but it was a fall, which caused his death, as per Goa Police. It was just an unnatural death for them. They did not care and did not bother, in order to protect the Murderer (this has been also detailed in Felix's Section).
So, 10 Years back a 22 Year old foreign Tourists died and his death is summarily closed; as no one was there to stand for him.
There were no chants for Justice.
No Social Workers or Activists came to Canacona Police Station to demand a free and fair investigation in his death.
This is despite the fact, Felix already feared for his life and shared it with few people; just a couple of days earlier, prior to his death.
Everything was very conveniently done by then PI of Canacona Police to protect the Murderer.
The fact of matter is, 10 Years back, the Law & Order situation in Goa was not as grave and in doldrums as it is now; and the death of very young European Tourist warranted immediate suspicion, rather than hastily closing it as "Unnatural Death".
Even when the Judiciary got involved due to the persistence and grit for Justice (The word for it in Finnish is SISU); the IO (Investigation Officer) then appointed PSI Prashal Dessai (and now much maligned) disregarded all documentary and other evidence presented, despite several pleas, and case was closed due to lack of evidence.
It is not that alacrity and response of Goa Police has vastly improved in last 10 Years as there are gazillions of cases to prove it otherwise.
What makes the difference that in 26th January 2025 Murder; it was about an aboriginal Goan and there were people shouting for Justice.
While 10 Years back on 28th January 2015; Felix Dahl was lying dead on a lonely road; thousands of miles away from home; and nobody bothered and stood for him. He was a Foreigner after all.
A Murder, is a Murder.
Be it of a Local Goan Aboriginal or a Young Foreigner Tourist.
Both have equally posed their faith in local administration, Police and Judiciary; that their fundamental Human Rights as per Constitution of India would be upheld.
While effective deterrence, through enough presence and impartiality cannot be implemented by Goa Police, because of Political and bureaucratic hindrances; what could be surely done by them, is to treat every suspicious death, through the same yardstick, on which they have been trained.
Be it at NPA, Delhi Police Academy or Goa Police Training School. These training institutions do not teach to treat Murders of two different people belonging to different nationality, caste or creed or religion, differently.
And if it's done, it is PERJURY.
And any such Police Officers automatically becomes unfit to wear Uniform.
The Goa Police Officers who bungled the case of Felix Dahl Murder are still in Service, getting promotion and hold prime assignments. Until, Karma caught up with one of them.
Off late, there has been a lot of lament in National Media about Tourism in Goa being in ditch; with earlier repeat visitors from Europe, North and South America ditching Goa altogether.
Any person, who reads the account of what the family of Felix Dahl had to go through in last 10 Years; would be a lunatic and of highly unsound mind; if she or he still decides to visit Goa.
Police and Judiciary are not same as whimsical Bureaucracy or their Political Masters. They take an oath to uphold the Constitution of India. The right to life and the right to live with dignity is everyone's fundamental right guaranteed by Constitution of India.
As the fight of Felix Dahl family & friends continues 10 Years on; for all of us who love Goa and want the state to be restored back to its glory; the chant of Justice should not echo only when a Goan or Indian is Murdered.
Thronging the Police Station, blurting out loud verbose and asking Goa Police to deliver justice; should also happens when a Foreign Tourist is Murdered or any other sort of injustice is handed to her.
That is the only way, we can bring back the trusts of Foreign Tourist (Non-Russians and Non-Israeli) and bring them back here, as quality tourists.
Why the word " Aboriginal " ???