Goa Acid Attack Sparks Outrage, Opposition Slams Govt Over Failing Law And Order

A shocking acid attack on 17-year-old Rishab Shetye in Dhargal, North Goa, has sparked outrage. Goa Congress President Amit Patkar slams CM Pramod Sawant’s BJP government for failing law and order. Read about the incident and the growing concerns over rising crime in Goa.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge meets Congress leaders from Goa, including AICC in-charge Manikrao Thakre, GPCC President Amit Patkar (IANS)

A shocking acid attack in Dhargal, North Goa left a 17-year-old boy, Rishab Shetye, seriously injured. The student was reportedly waiting for his school bus when unidentified assailants on a motorcycle hurled acid at him in an unprovoked and gruesome assault.

While the motive behind the attack is still unclear, the incident has triggered a political storm, with the Opposition coming down heavily on the BJP-led state government for its alleged failure to maintain law and order.

Goa Congress President Amit Patkar condemned the incident, calling it a “heinous crime” that reflects a complete breakdown of governance. “This is not the Goa we know, nor the Goa we deserve. From daylight murders to drug mafias roaming free, and now acid attacks — this is how far our state has fallen,” Patkar said in a strongly worded statement posted on social media.

Today, Rishab Shetye was brutally attacked with acid at Dhargal, sending shockwaves across the state.
This heinous crime reflects how completely broken law and order is under the @BJP4Goa government.
Goa — once peaceful — is now witnessing crimes we never imagined.

From daylight… — Amit Patkar (@amitspatkar) June 30, 2025

Patkar also demanded immediate arrest of the culprits, a fast-tracked investigation, and the harshest punishment for those responsible. “If the government cannot protect its citizens from such barbaric crimes, it has no moral right to remain in power,” he added, holding Chief Minister Pramod Sawant directly responsible for the worsening law and order situation.

This is not the first high-profile violent crime in recent months. Concerns are growing over a rise in violent incidents in Goa, with many alleging that the state administration has lost grip on internal security.

As citizens express fear and outrage, political pressure is mounting on the Sawant government to act swiftly and decisively. The police have launched an investigation, but as of Monday evening, no arrests had been made.

The state watches closely as it waits for justice in a case that has shaken Goa to its core.