This is the second case in just a weeks time. In the earlier case a Russian tourist was slapped in a broad daylight for rejecting the offer for the lift at Arpora, and in the recent case a 26-year-old Goan Artist, Ms. Durga Gawade was attacked and sexually abused by the local Goan man. On her social media post, the victim girl had mentioned the name of the accused as Brian Franco and uploaded the video clip of assault.
According to the NDTV report, In the video, artist Durga Gawde from Mumbai has uploaded the clip of her assault while also urging social media users to popularise the hashtags – #StandUpForYourself and #LockUpBrianFranco. She also expressed disappointment at the release of the accused — Brian Franco — on bail after four days.
“I did not want to engage so I drove away. He stalked me and cornered my bike and stopped his bike in front of mine such that I had to stop. He proceeded to remove my bike keys and threw them away and then started to hit my bike and intimidate me. I was not scared, I looked straight into his eyes without fear. He then proceeded to grab my crotch and threw my phone and said, ‘What will you do now?’. That is when I had had it. I couldn’t let someone molest me, I gave him a tight slap and what happened after that you saw in the video.” She wrote on her social media profile.
The victim Ms. Gawde claimed that the accused was released on bail after being in custody for four days, and even used lewd language when she went to complain to the police. According to her, the accused Brian Franco assaulted and grabbed her during an altercation which started after she complained about his speaking on the phone while riding a two-wheeler and almost crashing into her vehicle near Saligao village on May 31.
“I went to the Saligao police station and showed the cops the video. To my surprise the man who assaulted and molested me, showed up at the police station complaining that I had hit him and ripped his clothes. I defended myself with pride. In that moment I wasn’t scared, not because I am strong and not because I had the ability to tackle someone three times my size, but only because the sad truth is this is not the worst that’s happened to me.” She wrote on her social media profile.
In her social media post she said that even though the cops were helpful, while I was giving my statement, Brian Franco touched his chest while looking at my low cut dress and said ‘very nice very nice!’ in front of the cops and grabbed his crotch.
“All this in happened right in front of the police and the police had decided to remain neutral. What he did even in the police station is sexual abuse,” the post added.
According to the police inspector in-charge of the Police Station Santosh Dessai, soon after the complaint filed by Gawde, the accused was arrested under Section 354 (outraging modesty) and 354(d) (stalking) 323 (causing hurt voluntarily), and 504 (breach of peace).
“He was arrested and remanded to police custody for two days. After we objected to his release, he was remanded for two more days by the magistrate, before being released on bail,” he said.
“Even though the cops at the Saligao police station were helpful and seemed to be on my side, while I was giving my statement the man touched his chest while looking at my low cut gorgeous dress which is very flattering to my breasts and said ‘Very nice Very nice!’ in front of the cops and proceeded to grab his crotch and shook it while saying, ‘Take my cock.’ All this in front of the police and the police had to remain neutral. What he did even in the police station is sexual abuse.” She wrote on her social media profile.
The man is now out on bail and that made the victim to run a social media campaign with the hashtag #StandUpForYourself to get justice. Does this mean that the law and order in Goa have become absolute? Despite the numerous cases of molestation and assault what Goa government is doing?
Source: The Quint | NDTV | IDIVA
