In a significant development in the murder of Bhola Ravi Teja, a tourist from Andhra Pradesh, the Calangute police have arrested Suman Sonar, a 28-year-old staff member at the popular Marina beach shack in Calangute. The murder occurred on New Year’s Eve, and Sonar’s arrest brings the total number of suspects to five, with more arrests not ruled out.
Teja was brutally assaulted by the shack staff on Monday night after an alleged dispute over the bill. The police have registered a murder case and have already arrested Agnelo Silveira, the shack owner, Schubert Silveira, his son, and two workers, Anil Bista and Kamal Sunar, both from Nepal. All four suspects have been remanded to nine days of police custody.
The police have recovered crucial CCTV footage and other evidence, including the weapon used during the assault, a ‘danda’ (stick).
Interestingly, the Silveira family has a history of similar violence. In 2021, the shack owner and his sons were involved in a case of grievous injury to tourists, for which they were booked under Section 326 of the IPC. The victims in that case had tried to defend themselves when assaulted and suffered injuries, including fractures. That matter is still under trial.
A police officer stated that despite prior advisories to beach shack operators, incidents like these continue to mar the image of Goa. Shack operators were urged to handle conflicts peacefully and inform the police in case of any altercations. “Domestic tourists are often looked down upon by some shack operators, but that doesn’t justify resorting to violence,” the officer emphasized.
The authorities have called for training for all shack operators to better manage guest relations and avoid such unfortunate incidents in the future.
