PANAJI
Parents of the 100-odd youngsters who were detained by Panaji Police on the evening of Goa Liberation Day on Tuesday termed the incident as a “murder of democracy” and demanding an enquiry into the incident.
Speaking to the media, the parents unanimously condemned the inhuman treatment by the police and asserted that the forcible bundling of their kids in buses and taking them away to Ponda was akin to “hijacking and kidnapping”.
“Most of the kids didn’t know why they were being detained and they didn’t know where they were being taken. We question this high-handedness of the police in dealing with our children,” said a father of one of the youngster who was detained by Panaji Police preceding the entry of President of India Ram Nath Kovind into the capital city to kick off the celebrations of 60th year of Goa’s Liberation.
Almost in tears, a mother stated, “Parents had no idea about the whereabouts of their children. There was no word of correspondence from the authorities. We condemn this.”
The parents pointed out that as per Cr PC 50/1, the police are bound by law to inform the reason of detention or arrest. “They kidnapped our kids and drove them away in a hijacked bus. The police acted like goondas and detained the youngsters without following proper procedure,” the parents stated.
About 100 alleged protestors were detained from three separate spots in the capital city by Panaji Police on the evening of Goa’s Liberation Day.
People were picked up by the police for suspicious activity at the Panaji bus stand, near the Panaji Church and at another prominent location in the capital city right before the President’s convoy was expected to arrive in Panaji. The authorities feared that members of the Save Mollem movement and various other members of the civil society who are presently raising their voices about pressing issues concerning the welfare of Goa and its people would attempt to draw the attention of the President to their cause through spontaneous protests.
The police have claimed that these persons were rounded up and detained to maintain law and order during the visit of President Ram Nath Kovind.
