Monserrate ‘rape’ case: Survivor missing for two weeks

PANAJI: The survivor in an alleged rape case of 2016 involving Taleigao strongman and Congress candidate Atanasio Monserrate has been missing for over two weeks from a rehabilitation centre in South Goa, according to an FIR filed by Verna police.
The survivor, who was a minor in 2016, was relocated to the rehabilitation centre last year from the state juvenile detention centre—Apna Ghar—after she attained 18 years of age.

Police said the survivor had gone missing thrice earlier, but had returned to the rehabilitation centre within a couple of days.
Deputy superintendent of police Sunita Sawant said police have registered a case under section 365 (abduction) against unknown persons. “She might have been lured and as she was a survivor of crime against woman, we have registered a case of abduction against against unknown persons,” Sawant said.
The survivor has been telling the inmates at the rehab centre that she wanted to return to Apna Ghar. The rehab centre staff had been trying to convince her to finish her studies, after which she would be free to return to Apna Ghar, police said.
‘On learning my past, no one will want to be my friend’
The survivor was pursuing vocational studies and was in Class XI. She had not cleared her exams as she had not submitted her practical project.
Police said the principal of the college had asked the rehabilitation centre to convince her to submit her project.
On April 27, police said the survivor left the centre but returned on a motorcycle. The next day, she again left the centre, but this time with two bags.
Police said she was was last seen at 9am on a bus proceeding towards Vasco, and her last location was traced to Queeny Nagar at Velsao-Pale.
The women and child department, taking cognisance of the the FIR, have asked police for a detailed report.
In a diary maintained by her, police had earlier found that she had jotted “she was not scared of anybody... she wanted her freedom” and did not want anyone to “dictate terms”.
The diary also revealed that she was feeling lonely and hated her mother, police said. She also used to tell other inmates that she had a disturbed past, was depressed and was not supposed to talk about it, police said.
Police said that in one of the diary jottings, the survivor had stated: “If anyone learns of my past, no one will want to be my friend.”