Naked, bound body of celeb perfumer found at Goa home, rape suspected

Naked, bound body of celeb perfumer found at Goa home, rape suspected

Monika Ghurde was living in a rented three-bedroom flat in Sangolda village in Goa

Perfume designer Monika Ghurde was murdered yesterday at her home in North Goa's Sangolda village.

Police suspect that she was raped and then murdered.

"We received information about the incident late last night. We found her body in naked condition while the flat was burgled," Police Inspector Rajesh Kumar, who is investigating he case, said.

Her hands and legs were found tied to a bed, they said. "The house is burgled but we can't ascertain what things are stolen from the flat as she was living alone," Kumar said.

The building's watchman has been quizzed but he has no information about anyone entering her flat, he said. "We have sent the body for postmortem. Only after the postmortem report is received we will be able to know the exact cause of death," the inspector said, adding suspicion of rape has not been ruled out and marks on her neck indicate that she was strangulated.

Police have rounded up several persons from the village, which is about 5 km from the famous Calangute beach, in connection with the case.

Celebrated Goan and one of the biggest names in fashion Wendell Rodricks said, over the phone from Panjim, "I knew Monika as a friend and all I can say is that this is extremely unfortunate and tragic. I had first met her in Mumbai when she was an assistant to a photographer friend of mine. She used to live in Dadar. Then, I met her with a photographer friend in Chennai."

Single women vulnerable
Rodricks said he had met her at a party in Goa recently and remembered her like she always was - beautiful, intelligent and vivacious.

"I think we need to stress that single women across the world, working and living in a city that is not their own, are vulnerable to certain circumstances of our modern times," he added.

Rodricks recalled that he had spent a considerable amount of time with her when "I was part of a team doing a book together on Goa, along with her ex-husband. I do not want to tell you the details of the book. I just think it is important to stress that single women on their own are still susceptible to crimes of this nature."

In shock
A Goa-based friend of Ghurde said, "The community in Goa is still in a state of shock. Monika had been doing perfumery workshops all over the country. She was a part of my wife's social circle... it used to be so fun to be with her. You know, she lived in a gated community in Goa. So, why and how do such things happen? There are so many questions."

"I had seen her as recently as three days ago, at a Swiss cultural presentation in Goa. She seemed so happy and full of plans for her life. She was, in fact, just back from Italy... This news is difficult to digest..." he added.

Astad Deboo, Indian contemporary dancer and choreographer, said, "I am shocked to read this. What a loss. I had choreographed a work with the deaf dancers of the Clarke school for the deaf and she came to photograph us. She was open to suggestions. Layer she moved on to being a perfumer but we stayed in touch. In prayer and peace."

(With inputs from Suraj Ojha, Benita Fernando and agencies)