PANAJI
The case of the October 28 firing incident at Ugvem in Pernem in which two migrant labourers were injured got murkier on Sunday with the Pernem police arresting five persons involved, including two constables from the India Reserve Battalion (IRBn).
Police said, Nehal Nitin Mahale (20), Ashish Shivaji Mahale (24), Akash Arun Mahale (24), IRBn Constable Rishikesh Dasharat Mahale (32), and IRBn Constable Gangaram Gopichand Mahale (34) have been arrested for the shooting incident which followed disputes over unauthorized sand extraction in the Terekhol river.
The indiscriminate sand-mining sparked concern among local residents that it could cause damage to their agricultural land, police said.
The firing incident had occurred in the wee hours of October 28, when unknown assailants opened fire on labourers engaged in sand mining. Two labourers, both natives of Bihar, had sustained serious injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College, Bambolim.
“Strict disciplinary action will be taken against all police personnel found involved,” Superintendent of Police (North Goa) Rahul Gupta, IPS, said while confirming that the IRBn constables will face departmental inquiry in addition to criminal charges.
Gupta who addressed the media at the Pernem police station said that efforts are underway to identify the broader network behind the sand mining racket.
“We are committed to fixing accountability and ensuring that those responsible for environmental degradation and violence are brought to justice,” Gupta said.
The twin cases have reignited calls for stricter enforcement of mining regulations and greater oversight of law enforcement personnel. Locals have welcomed the arrests but remain concerned about the long-term impact of unchecked sand extraction on their farmlands adjunct to the Tiracol river.
