African nationals block national highway in Goa

Over 200 African nationals blocked the NH 17 at Porvorim, five km from Panjim capital city, for nearly an hour Thursday. They were trying to take away the body of a Nigerian, found murdered earlier Thursday, from an ambulance carrying it.

The incident took place after the body of a Nigerian national, yet unidentified by the police, was found in Parra, a village adjoining the beach village of Calangute, which is notorious for being Goa's narco-tourism industry's capital.

"The body was being taken to the Goa Medical College morgue in an ambulance when a mob of Africans stopped it and pulled the corpse out at Porvorim," a police official said.

The official said that two companies of police personnel were rushed to the spot, after the number of African nationals swelled to nearly 200.

"They had blocked the highway and small skirmishes with local residents had started," the official said.

Some from the mob have been detained but the nationalities of those present is unclear, police said.

Officials also said that the National Highway No.17 was later cleared and that the law and order situation was under control.

The body was found near the residence of local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Michael Lobo, who said his constituency was a victim of a drug war and that the murder was linked to narcotics trade.

"I have been saying this over and over again. Goa is in the grip of a drug mafia. This murder is a narcotics murder. The police are very lax," Lobo said.

A legislative committee report tabled in the state assembly earlier this month clearly pointed out to a police-politician-drug mafia nexus operating in Goa. It names several politicians as well as police officials who are alleged to have links with the narcotics mafia.