CANACONA
A inebriated driver not only rammed an interstate truck into a roadside tree along the highway at Gulem-Canacona on Tuesday but had the audacity to justify the consumption of alcohol and even dared onlookers to assault him.
The unladen container truck arriving from Hubli was headed towards Ponda when the vehicle rammed into a roadside tree. The front windshield and the entire bonnet were badly damaged in the mishap.
As the mishap took place at a busy location in Gulem, locals and motorists rushed towards the truck in anticipation of an injured driver and other occupants in the vehicle.
They were shocked to find an inebriated driver alighting the cabin of the truck.
The driver was heavily intoxicated and could not stand properly. The driver confirmed that he was alone and later identified himself as one Jainindra from Uttar Pradesh.
Finding him unable to stand steady, onlookers asked him why had he jeopardised the lives of other motorists by driving a large vehicle in an intoxicated manner.
The driver retorted saying, “Goa mei dharu ke siway aur kya milta? Mai dharu piya ho, tum log kya karenge, marna hai toh maro, katlo muje” (Other than liquor what else do you get in Goa? Yes, I have drunk liquor, what can you do? If you want, beat me, cut me to pieces!).
The driver then took out a portable gas cylinder from the cabin and opened one side of the bonnet.
Concerned that the drunk driver may do something unexpected, onlookers asked the driver to lead the damaged truck alone.
Realising that the driver was in no mood to listen to them, onlookers asked the police to arrive at the site and take control of the situation.
In the meantime, some onlookers obtained the phone number of the truck owner and alerted him about the incident and the behaviour of the driver.
According to sources, though the truck is registered in Nagaland, the vehicle is reportedly operating along the Maharashtra-Goa-Karnataka sector. The vehicle was returning after offloading a consignment in Hubli and was headed to Ponda to pick up another consignment.
