Goa Minister Pacheco Runs into Trouble as Woman Partner Dies

Goa’s Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco, already facing bigamy charges, has run into another trouble with a 28-year-old woman, allegedly his third partner, passed away at a Chennai hospital, reports said.

Nadia Torreado died on Sunday, 15 days after she consumed rat poison.

Women activists and the Opposition have demanded a thorough probe into her death, reports said.

“It is not mere suicide. Nadia’s case should be investigated as murder,” Tara Kerkar, an activist based in south Goa, was quoted as saying.

“She was later shifted to a clinic in Mumbai and then to Chennai by the minister who wanted to treat her secretly, fearing consequences if her consumption of poison became public,” Kerkar was quoted as saying.

“We want the police to investigate this case as a murder because no proper care was taken when she was being shifted to different hospitals across the country,” he was quoted as saying.

In the meanwhile, women’s group insisted that chief minister Digambar Kamat order a formal probe into the suspicious death and announce the report within two days, said reports.

Also, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar asked for a complete investigation into the death of the 28-year-old woman, reports said.

“The death should be investigated thoroughly. What is this government coming to?” Parrikar was quoted as saying.

Responding to a question, Pacheo just said: “It is a very unfortunate incident. The deceased was a friend of the family. It is a sad day.”

In response to the allegation that medical negligence caused by his repeated shifting of Torreado from one hospital to another might have led to her death, he said, “We acted strictly on medical advice so that she could get the best of health. The allegations are politically motivated.”

(Based on internet reports)