PANAJI
Goa’s tourism sector has once again found itself in the eye of a storm, this time owing to a string of troubling incidents involving tourists.
From the death of Delhi’s Karan Kashyap, an IIT topper, during the Sunburn EDM festival to the detention of five party youths for drug use, the situation has only worsened with the latest assaults on tourists from Andhra Pradesh and Mumbai.
In the latest case, Nitin Agarwal and his friends were allegedly attacked by workers and security guards -- all hailing from Himachal Pradesh and Kerala -- of Planet Goa Shack in Calangute. They were arrested. In the Marina Shack case that saw the murder of Andhra Pradesh tourist Bhola Ravi Teja, shack owner Agnel Silveira, 64, his son Shubert, 23, and two workers -- Anil Bista, 24, and Kamal Sunar, 23, both from Nepal -- were arrested.
What’s raising eyebrows is the common thread in these cases: while the shack owners are locals, the alleged assaulters -- in fact employees at these shacks -- are non-Goans.
Though action has been taken, these incidents stirred a fresh storm on social media with many quick to criticize Goa’s handling of tourism-related issues.
“Most shacks are outsourced on rent. They are not Goans,” Larsen DeSouza posted on his X handle. Another social media user, Andy Wharton, echoed the sentiment, lamenting, “No wonder Europeans are going elsewhere. Goa is becoming lawless and unsafe.”
Social media users have accused the state of failing to protect its tourists. In contrast, several others have defended the coastal State adding Goa is healing and should do away with unruly tourists.
“Goa is digging its own grave by treating tourists as mere cash cows. Locals hide behind the excuse of unruly tourists, but blanket hostility only alienates genuine visitors. Without reforms, Goa’s greed and arrogance will cost it dearly. Tourism thrives on respect and hospitality, not exploitation and harassment,” a post, by a user from Chhattisgarh named Pawan, stated.
Another user, known as ‘The Skin Doctor’ and followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, called for urgent reforms.
“The police must adopt strict surveillance and zero tolerance towards disruptive tourists. At the same time, the government needs to dismantle the taxi mafia and curb exploitative practices by hotels and businesses. Without these reforms, Goa risks losing its status as a premier tourist destination,” he warned. The X-user conceded that unruly tourists have contributed to the State’s problems but insisted that hostility towards all visitors cannot be justified.
The Planet Goa incident saw the arrests of Abubaker (28) from Kerala, and HP-natives Maan Singh (27), Abhishek Kumar (24), Vinod Kumar (31) and Surinder Kumar (28). North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal stated they are in custody and are being interrogated to ascertain details of the incident, motive and circumstances that led to the assault.
“The shack was closed when the fight erupted. These workers (accused) were sleeping,” the officer said, adding the altercation occurred after a petty issue. Agarwal has been discharged from hospital.
On the other hand, in the death of the AP tourist, the matter has reached its Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan as Teja’s family appealed to look into the matter and ensure justice is served.
