Cong suspects drug overdose behind Sunburn deaths, seeks probe

The Congress on Sunday suspected that "drug overdose" could to the reason behind the death of two tourists at the Sunburn Electronic Dance Music festival, and sought an inquiry into the incident.

The party also demanded that permission given to the music festival be revoked immediately.

A delegation of party leaders, including Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee chief Varad Mardolkar, Amarnath Panjikar, Janardan Bhandari and Urfan Mulla- met Utkarsh Prasoon, Superintendent of Police (North), demanding that permission given to the Sunburn organisers be revoked immediately.

They submitted a memorandum of their demand to the police officer.

Talking to reporters later, Mardolkar said similar instances of deaths due to drug overdose had been reported at Sunburn Festival in the past as well.

"Two deaths of Andhra Pradesh-based tourists on Friday is a clear indication that drug-peddling takes place at the festival. We demanded that permission for the Sunburn festival should be revoked immediately," he said.

According to police, the deceased duo, Sai Prasad and Venkat, felt uneasy near the gates of the venue at Vagatore beach in North Goa and were rushed to a hospital in Mapusa, where they died late Friday evening. The festival, which began on Friday, will culminate on Sunday.

Mardolkar said that his party had submitted petitions to various authorities, including Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, drawing their attention to the rising drug menace in the state and seeking effective measures to control it.

"Goa has already got the dubious distinction of being known as a place of drugs. We can't allow the image of the state to be tarnished further," he said.

Mardolkar said the SP assured them to look into their demands.