Mistaken for a thief, a US national choked and died in a slushy field, after he was chased by a mob late on Tuesday night, Goa Chief Minister laxmikant Parsekar told the Goa legislative Assembly on Wednesday, even as the Opposition said such deaths of foreigners would deter tourists from coming to Goa.
The US national, Caitan Vholte, who eye-witnesses said was behaving in an irrational manner, was chased by villagers of Korgao located 35 kms from Panaji, and the police, stumbled into a soggy paddy field in which he fell and according to Parsekar choked on the slushy soil and died.
“I was told that he was chased by the villagers, police and he died in a paddy field after suffocating in the mud. I am going to find out more,” Parsekar told The Pioneer, after the issue was raised in the state legislative assembly by the leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane on Wednesday.
According to eyewitnesses, Vholte was being chased by locals from Korgao, who suspected him of theft. After the chase lasted for more than 15 minutes, the US national stumbled into a paddy field, where in a few minutes he met with his end.
“He later ran into a boggy paddy field when he fell and died after being choked, before the police reached the scene,” an eyewitness said on condition of anonymity.
A senior police official told The Pioneer that the deceased appeared mentally troubled according to statements of witnesses officially recorded by them.
“He died after choking on mud in a marshy area, which he had run into,” the official said.
Earlier, Speaker Pratapsing Rane told the Goa legislative assembly that if foreign tourists were chased and killed in a tourist State like Goa, then tourism would take a beating.
“Who will come to Goa if tourists die like thisIJ” Rane said.
Goa is one of the top beach tourist destinations in the country which attracts more than three million tourists, including half a million foreigners.