PANAJI
The police in Goa have maintained a studied silence on the motive behind the daylight assault on activist Rama Kankonkar, even as multiple theories of rivalry, provocation and political connections have been doing the rounds.
But while police claim the investigation is on a fast track and in the right direction, they are also probing an altercation over a vehicular accident between some of the accused (in the present case) and Kankonkar at Agassaim seven months ago.
Credible sources revealed to The Goan that a road accident damaged Kankonkar’s vehicle, followed by a police complaint against three persons.
The quarrel, initially in the middle of the road, did not end quietly, but was followed by a series of exchanges. The source said Kankonkar was feeling threatened and had accused Minguel of stalking him and uploading photographs on social media.
Sources further stated that on the fateful day, the men spotted Kankonkar exiting a restaurant in Caranzalem after a few drinks.
“The accused were on their way back to St Cruz when they saw Kankonkar walking out of the restaurant that afternoon. Seizing the moment, they smeared cow dung on him, calling it 'a lesson' for repeated insults and taunts. The accused then picked the broken wires/ cables (possibly from a cycle or two-wheeler) from the ground to attack Kankonkar,” the source said, adding the CCTV footage is being analysed to identify if a knife or firearm was also used.
In a viral video recorded minutes after the assault, Kankonkar -- seen dazed awaiting medical attention -- said that his attackers were from St Cruz and that there was a previous altercation with them.
The accused, meanwhile, have reportedly told police they did not intend to indulge in a physical fight except that they wanted to smear his face with cow dung and flee. "The accused persons' justification is that they were not armed if they had pre-planned the attack," the source said.
The Opposition leaders have alleged the involvement of a mastermind with political links, pointing to the accused's connections with a notorious history-sheeter of the past. The police said that this theory is also under investigation.
But the police are reportedly facing obstacles as one of the prime witnesses who helped Kankonkar immediately after the assault has refused to cooperate. Moreover, the mobile phone allegedly used by one of the accused to record the assault has vanished. “It has been thrown somewhere after the issue gained national attention. We are identifying the location,” the source said.
