38 arrested for rioting, molesting hotel staff at Baga

PANAJI: Goa police arrested 38 persons for allegedly rioting and molesting staff of a hotel-cum-casino at Baga around 6.20am on Thursday.
The accused allegedly fled with cash and casino gaming chips worth Rs 17.5 crore, police said. Of the 38 persons, five are transgender and five women, police said.
Deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Edwin Colaco said a complaint of criminal trespass and unlawful assembly against 50 people was lodged by a representative of the hotel.
Police control room received information about the incident around 6.20am, he said.
The complaint states that the accused caused damage to property, confined hotel guests into a room and molested female staff, the DySP said. The complaint also states that Rs 2.5 crore in cash and gaming chips worth around Rs 10 crore to 15 crore were stolen.
Police conducted a panchanama of the crime scene and recorded statements of witnesses.
About the motive behind the crime, the DySP said that it is premature to say much at this stage as investigations are on. “It a case of forming unlawful assembly and trespassing and we are investigating. If something emerges then accordingly action will be taken,” he said.
Colaco said that the accused did not make any attempt to take anyone hostage at the hotel.
The DySP said that investigation will reveal whether there is any property angle to the crime and if somebody sent the accused to vacate the premises. He said that those arrested are not residents of Goa. All the accused would be produced before the court, he said.
Colaco said that the property has CCTV cameras and that they would analyse the footage during the course of investigation.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)