CANACONA
Accusing Canacona police of conniving with culprits shooting an obscene video at Chapoli Dam, Jagruth Canconcars have demanded the immediate suspension of Canacona PI Tukaram Chawan.
Rejecting offers by SP (South) Pankaj Kumar Singh to transfer the police inspector and hold an enquiry into allegations against Canacona police, the angry residents called for a Canacona bandh on Thursday, including blocking the NH66 which passes through the taluka.
Earlier in the day, several residents, politicians cutting across party lines and members of social organisations marched to the Canacona Dy Collector’s office, where a huge police force was stationed outside the government office complex.
Dy Collector Satish Prabhu, Mamlatdar Vimod Dalal and Canacona Police Inspector Tukaram Chawan then came out to meet the agitating residents.
PI Chawan sought to defend himself by saying he had already registered an FIR against unknown persons for shooting the porn video at Chapoli Dam.
The agitators were in no mood to listen to his explanation and confronted PI Chawan on why he had registered an FIR against unknown persons, when the culprits were clearly seen and identifiable in the video.
The protestors then reiterated their demand for action against Canacona police for allegedly conniving with the perpetrators to shoot the porn video at the sacred place like Chapoli Dam.
After speaking to Collector (South), the Canacona Dy Collector requested the agitating residents to submit their memorandum in writing and he would personally deliver it to the collector for further action.
The protestors, however, refused to accept his request and said they were not interested in wasting time and refused to leave the site until action was taken against the Canacona PI.
When the Quepem DySP reached the venue, they insisted on the suspension of Canacona PI Tukaram Chawan.
The agitators then paraded a rickshaw driver, who was allegedly hired by the model and her husband on Friday and Saturday.
The rickshaw driver then said he saw a policeman in plain clothes on guard, while the model was being filmed in different nude positions at Chapoli Dam.
While the Quepem DySP tried to cross-question the rickshaw driver, he even mentioned the name of one policeman present in plain clothes.
SP (South) Pankaj Kumar Singh reached the site at about 2 pm and sought to defend the PI’s action of filing a case against unknown persons since no name had been mentioned in the complaint filed by WRD-Canacona.
He also offered to hold an enquiry into the FIR, but the protestors shouted that there had been three complaints filed with the police, with some even mentioning the name of the woman in the video. They sought to know the woman has not been summoned for an enquiry so far.
SP Singh then offered to transfer the PI and hold an inquiry in the matter, but the protestors insisted on the suspension of the PI pending a probe.
When the SP was non-committal on the demand for suspension of the PI, the agitators under the Jagruth Canconcars called for total Canacona Candh, including blocking the NH66 highway on Thursday, if the PI’s suspension is not issued by Wednesday night.
Among those who took pace in discussions with the officials included former minister and BJP State Vice President Ramesh Tawadkar, AAP spokesperson Sandesh Telekar, Goa Forward Spokesperson Prashant Naik, Mohandas Lolienkar, Congress General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari, Mahila Congress leader Pratima Coutinho, Canacona Block Congress president Prahlay Bhagat and Canacona BJP Mandal President Nandip Bhagat.
Meanwhile, Shri Mallikarjun Devasthan, Canacona BJP Block Committee and BJP Mahila Morcha have also filed complaints with Canacona police regarding the shooting of the porn video at Chapoli Dam. This is the sixth police complaint lodged with the Canacona police in the connection within the last 48 hours.
