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Police arrests 22-year-old Karnataka man who killed girlfriend in Goa forest

Police said the 22-year-old woman who was found dead 100 metres from the road in Mollem wildlife sanctuary worked with a school in Karnataka

Published on: Jun 17, 2025, 18:53:17 IST
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PANAJI: The Goa Police on Tuesday arrested a 22-year-old man from Karnataka in connection with the murder of his girlfriend in a remote forest in Goa, a senior South Goa district police officer said.

Police said the man, identified as Sanjay Kevin, was accused of killing Roshini, 22, on June 15 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Police said the man, identified as Sanjay Kevin, was accused of killing Roshini, 22, on June 15 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police said the man, identified as Sanjay Kevin, was accused of killing Roshini, 22, on June 15

Roshini’s body was found in a forested area of Pilliem, Dharbandora, in Mollem wildlife sanctuary. The body has multiple injury marks, including one by a sharp weapon across her throat.

A farmer who was visiting the forest in search of bibem (sprouted cashew nuts) noticed the body on Monday morning and alerted the police.

Police said the woman was working with a school while the man, Kevin, was unemployed.

South Goa superintendent of police (SP) Tikam Singh Verma said the victim and the accused were in a relationship, “and the motive appears to be some personal relationship issue”. Kevin suspected that Roshini was cheating on him.

A second police officer said the couple came to Goa from Bengaluru on Goa’s state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation bus and intended to spend a day in the beach state.

For reasons that are still unclear, the couple got off the bus at an isolated stretch. The woman’s body was found in the jungle 100 metres from the road.

A bus ticket found in the woman’s belongings was the first clue that helped investigators track the accused, who had booked the ticket.

Verma said Kevin was arrested from Hubli, Karnataka on Tuesday and brought to Goa.

  • Gerard de Souza
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Gerard de Souza

    Gerard de Souza is a Special Correspondent based in Goa and has been reporting on and about issues concerning the state and the wider western coast of India for over 18 years. His wide range of stories covers politics, crime, environment and tourism-related concerns emerging from India’s smallest state. Born and brought up in Goa, he has a deep understanding of the former Portuguese enclave’s evolution from a laidback collection of idyllic villages that first drew flower power generation of counter culture enthusiasts to its shores to one that has become synonymous in Indian popular culture with an aspirational holiday, seeing the best (and worst) that holidayers have to offer. He also keenly follows criminal trials. Most notably, he covered the trial surrounding the killing of Scarlett Keeling, a British teenager found dead on Anjuna beach, and that of Danielle McLaughlin similarly killed in south Goa, among others. He authored the book ‘Crimes of Passion: When Desire Turns Deadly,’ chronicling cases of romance turning to rage and murder. A graduate of Goa University, he learnt the trade on the job and has experience on both the reporting and editorial sides of the profession. When not sniffing around for a worthy headline, he likes to spend time outdoors to help ensure his heart is always in the right place.Read More

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