Dy Collector directs police to act against protesters
A group of protesters blocking the NH66 highway at Talpona.
CANACONA
Tension escalated on Tuesday afternoon when angry locals blocked the NH66 highway at Talpona, accusing the authorities of not doing enough to trace four missing fishermen.
Residents placed tree branches on the road and sat on the highway, disrupting traffic for about an hour. Politicians, ZP candidates and leaders from the fishing community joined the protest in support of the demand.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Nilesh Rane and Canacona Police Inspector Harish Raut Desai tried to calm the crowd and asked them to clear the highway, warning that blocking traffic on a national highway was against the law.
However, the protesters refused to relent and continued the blockade until around 4 pm, when they received information that the four fishermen had been traced and were being brought back. Following this update, the protesters dispersed and moved to the Talpona jetty to await the arrival of the fishermen along with the police team.
Expressing relief over the safe rescue, Canacona Deputy Collector Prataprao Gaonkar said the coastal police and the Coast Guard were actively involved in the search and rescue operation.
Gaonkar, however, condemned the road blockade on NH66 at Talpona. Rejecting allegations of inaction, he said.
