Human rights panel recommends withdrawal of eviction notice

PANAJI

The Goa Human Rights Commission held that an eviction notice issued by the Village Panchayat of Socorro to the family of alleged rape accused Allabhaksh Goususab Saiyydabade was ‘without jurisdiction’ and recommended its withdrawal within 48 hours.

In the order pronounced on Monday in a suo motu petition, the Commission led by Acting Chairperson Desmond D’Costa and Member Pramod Kamat, has also asked the Village Panchayat to submit an action taken report within 15 days.

“The Commission holds that the Notice of the Village Panchayat dated December 24, 2025, directing Allabaksh Sayed and family to vacate the premises at Socorro is without jurisdiction under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 and bad in Law. The Commission recommends that the Respondent No. 1 (VP, Socorro) within 48 hours from today, remove the said Notice, which is pasted on the door of the house in possession of Sayed family. The Respondent No.1 to file their comments including the action taken within a period of 15 days from today or on before January 27, 2026...” it said.

The GHRC on December 26, 2025, took suo motu cognisance of a seven-day eviction notice issued by the local panchayat to the family of an accused man following his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl. 

The arrest sparked anger among residents, who demanded that the accused and his family be removed from the locality. Acting on the public outcry, the panchayat issued an eviction notice to Saiyadabade, directing him to vacate the house allotted under the 20 Point Programme at Socorro.

The police had stated that the accused worked as a driver responsible for picking up and dropping off schoolchildren. Earlier that week, the minor girl had informed her parents about the alleged assault, after which they lodged a complaint with Porvorim police.