VASCO
Verna Police on Friday afternoon arrested 10 members of the Goenchea Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE), including a Velsao panch, on charges of assaulting three residents of Velsao near a mini-market store on Thursday night.
Police feel the assault could be linked to the double-tracking works and are investigating if there could be more people involved in the incident.
Speaking to media persons on Friday, Mormugao DySP Salim Shaikh said Verna police arrested Velsao Panch Member Francisco Braganza, GRE Members Anthony D’Mello, Cajie D’Mello, Joaquim Fernandes, Felix Vincente, Raymond Fernandes, Filipo Tiodosio, Baptist D’Mello, Agnelo Fernandes and Menino Fernandes under Sections 143, 144, 147, 148, 323, 326 r/w 149 IPC
“We received a complaint from businessman Aliston Pinto (38) of Dando-Velsao that on Thursday at around 10 pm, all the accused persons and other unknown persons with their common object formed an unlawful assembly, armed with deadly weapons like knife, glass bottles,” said DySP Shaikh.
“Pinto said Panch member Fransisco Braganza assaulted him with beer glass bottle on his nose and as a result, he sustained grievous injury. Another accused, Anthony D’Mello, also swung a knife towards him which cut through his T-Shirt and accused Cajie D’Mello assaulted him with fist blows. Further, all accused persons with their common object also assaulted Pinto’s friends, Christode Rodrigues and Pascoal Rodrigues, causing them serious injuries,” said DySP Shaikh.
DySP Shaikh said the assault case could be linked to double-tracking works in the village.
“It all began on Thursday morning when the GRE members had their monthly meeting and complainant Aliston Pinto’s father was also present. There was some altercation at the meeting over double-tracking issues and some members of the GRE pushed Aliston Pinto’s father and caught his collar.”
“The father told his son, Aliston, about the incident and Pinto later approached the Verna police station at around 9 pm and gave us a letter stating that some members of the GRE had pushed his father during the monthly meeting. We had planned to act on his letter and call the GRE member for enquiry today morning, but the accused members assaulted Pinto on Thursday night when he had gone with two friends at night to the mini store,” said DySP Shaikh.
DySP Shaikh said the complainant had a fracture on his nose due to the attack and has been admitted to the district hospital.
“We immediately started the combing operation upon getting this information and got all the accused and arrested them. One of the accused, Filipo Tiodosio, has health issues including high diabetes and hence, we allowed him to go home while the others have been placed in the lock up. I am personally monitoring the situation and we will take the strict action on them by going to the bottom of the case,” said DySP Shaikh.
