Panchayat decides to close Goa's Betalbatim beach at night

Panaji, June 1 (IANS) More than a week after a 20-year-old woman was gang raped at Betalbatim beach in South Goa, a local panchayat has decided to prohibit the entry of visitors to the beach stretch after evening.

"All panchayat members are unanimous about prohibiting the entry of visitors to the beach after 7.30 p.m. Gates will be installed on the road leading to the beach which will be closed after evening. We will put up signboards to the effect soon," sarpanch Constancio Miranda said on Friday.

On May 25, three tourists from Madhya Pradesh allegedly raped a 20-year-old girl at Betalbatim beach in front of her 22-year-old male friend, while also filming the act, in order to blackmail the couple subsequently into shelling out more money. 

The accused were arrested within 24 hours of the incident and are currently in police custody.

Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in the country and attracts more than six million tourists every year.