Violence rocks ‘sensitive’ Rumdamol Housing Board

MARGAO
The communally sensitive Rumdamol Housing Board was rocked by violence late Saturday night and Sunday, with reports of vandalism and damage to vehicles reported at a couple of places in the village.

Rumdamol Panch member Vinayak Voivoikar claimed an attack on his life while returning home late Saturday. Hours later, the controversial residential structure, which is in the eye of a storm after locals complained that it was playing host to a madrasa and tuition classes, was damaged in stone throwing. The vehicles owned by former sarpanch and panch member Saimulla Faniband were also stoned. The stoning incidents were reported in the wee hours of Sunday.

Tension continued throughout Sunday culminating in the stoning and ransacking of a beef stall in the evening by a group of persons.

Trouble started after former Rumdamol sarpanch and panch member Vinayak Volvoikar claimed an attempt on his life late Saturday night when he was returning home after calling on Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuemkar. He said an unknown person broke the window pane of his vehicle and tried to attack him with a knife which pierced the driver’s seat after he ducked the blow.

Voivoikar and his supporters later marched to the Maina-Currtorim police to lodge a complaint.

At around 2.30 am, two vehicles of former sarpanch and panch member Saimulla Faniband were damaged by a group of persons. CCTV footage shows that two police jeeps had come outside Saimulla’s residence. Moments later, however, after the police jeeps left the venue, a group of persons descended at the spot and damaged Saimulla’s vehicles, including a car and a towing vehicle.

Another group of persons are believed to have damaged the residence which is playing host to the madrassa and tuition classes.

Margao DySP Santosh Desai said the police have deployed personnel at the Rumdamol Housing Board as a precautionary measure. He said other than the incidents reported last night, no fresh incidents of violence has been reported in the Housing Board.

DySP Desai, however, had to rush to the Housing Board on Sunday evening after reports stated that a group of persons stoned a stall selling beef.

In a bid to calm down frayed tempers, the police called the agitators at the Rumdamol police outpost for discussions.

DySP Desai told The Goan that the Maina-Curtorim police have registered an offence against an unknown person for the attack on Rumdamol panch member Volvoikar. He said the police have received complaints from former sarpanch Saimulla complaining of stoning of vehicles by miscreants.

Panch member Vinayak Volvoikar told the media that the assailant tried to claim his life since he was in the forefront in demanding closure of the madrassa run in a residential house. “We are not against any religion or conduct of religious activities, but these activities sought to be carried out at a place of worship and not in a residential house inconveniencing the general public,” he said.

He said he has lodged a complaint with the police with a plea to nab the culprits involved in the attack.

Saimulla on the other hand has demanded action against the culprits involved in stoning his vehicles. He said the attack on vehicles took place moment two police vans had come near his residence in the wee hours of Sunday. “Let the police investigate and find out the miscreants involved in stoning the vehicles. CCTV footage can give the police the lead to nab the culprits,” Saimulla said, while also demanding the arrest of the culprit involved in the attack on panch member Vinayak Volvoikar.