A 25-year-old nurse was seriously injured when a suspected stalker attacked her and stabbed her in the back, chest and hand until she collapsed near the entrance of a community health center at Tuwim in North Goa on Tuesday evening. The assailant, Gautam Devidas, 25, was overpowered and handed over to the police.
The police said they were able to record the nurse’s statements. “We recorded the woman’s statement, arrested the accused and detained him on charges of attempted murder,” a police officer said. He added that an investigation is underway into the circumstances that led to the stabbing. The officer said it was too early to comment definitively on the motive.
Goa Forward Party leader Vijay Sardesai described the stabbing incident as a reflection of the breakdown of law and order. “The perpetrators must be immediately arrested and swiftly prosecuted, and those responsible for this complete failure of law and order must be held accountable.”
He said the state BJP government had failed to discharge its basic responsibility of ensuring the safety of Goans. “Goa deserves better. If healthcare workers and citizens are not safe inside a government hospital in broad daylight, where are they safe? This is nothing less than a complete breakdown of law and order,” he said.
