Some friends of the deceased, Umesh Harijan, at the Chicalim Sub District Hospital. Captured by : Vikram Nayak
VASCO
Still in shock and barely able to speak, a survivor and eyewitness to the murder said he had fled from the site and watched his friend being brutally murdered by a gang.
Speaking to reporters at the Chicalim Sub District Hospital, Ashok Chalvadi said the deceased, Umesh Harijan, and he had gone to the temple for lunch.
“As we left from the temple and started our bike, a group of persons attacked Umesh, who was the pillion rider, from behind. They first kicked him from the back and when I went to save him, they attacked me also.”
“It happened all of a sudden and there were around 5-6 persons all armed with swords, choppers and other sharp weapons and I ran to safety. They started stabbing him with knives, swords and choppers.”
“I then alerted his brother also tried to call the cops and ambulance, but by then, his brother had arrived and we finally shifted him to the hospital in his car, where he was declared dead" said a visibly shocked Chalvadi.
Iqbal Harijan, brother of the deceased, said he was earlier attacked by the same group some months ago.
"They had come in a car with sticks and swords and tried to stop me and attack me, but I ran from there and escaped or else they would have killed me that day. I even filed a non-cognisable complaint with the police on two occasions, but the police did not act. This murder would have not have taken place if the cops had to act on time," said Harijan.
Another person, Santosh Pujari, told reporters said that the same group had even attacked them.
"This group had attacked me and Iqbal in front of Ravindra Bhavan earlier without any reason and they had damaged my bike and I suffered injuries on the hand.”
“They have now murdered my friend just a few metres outside the temple in broad daylight. We want the Goa police to catch the culprits and take strictest action possible against them," said Pujari.
