Demand attempt-to-murder charge, accuse police of shielding PSI, seek access to CCTV footage
Social activists sitting at the entrance to the Margao police station after the entrance gate was shut by the police on Thursday.
MARGAO
Social activists on Thursday made a strong demand to register a case of attempt to murder against suspended Margao Police Sub-Inspector Nilesh Shirvoikar in the Edberg Pereira assault case.
High drama unfolded at the district police headquarters at Margao on Thursday noon when a group of social activists comprising of Pratima Coutinho, Anthony D’Silva, Shankar Polge, Fidol Pereira and others came to meet the district police chief, SP Tikam Singh to ascertain the facts relating to the case.
The police personnel on duty, however, closed the main entrance gate, triggering heated exchanges between the activists and the policemen. The police refused to allow the activists inside the headquarters, pointing out that SP Tikam Singh is not in his office.
As the police refused to open the gate, the activists preferred to squat right in front of the entrance gate, before Pratima Coutinho was allowed to call on the Margao police station in-charge, PI Suraj Samant.
Pratima told the media that the activists had come to see the SP to demand clarity on the incident which had left Edberg with bleeding head injuries. They wanted access to CCTV footage to understand what transpired. However, she lamented the SP’s absence and criticised the police for locking the main gate, preventing activists from entering the station.
Pratima said the activists have also come to demand that the police register a case of attempt to murder against the suspended PSI and arrest him for the offence. The police should show us the CCTV footage or else we will be forced to get the CCTV footage under the RTI Act,” she said.
To a question what has transpired at her meeting with Margao PI Suraj Samant, Pratima said the PI has said that he was not on duty at the Margao police station when the incident occurred on October 22.
