the goan I network
PANAJI
The agitation called on Monday by All Goa Truck Drivers and Owners Association, mining dependents, barge owners and suppliers of mining machinery and equipment against the closure of all mining activities in Goa turned violent with the police resorting to lathicharge to disperse the aggressive gathering.
Several vehicles including KTC buses and police vans were damaged and over a dozen people sustained injuries. Around eight persons including three of the accused, two Lady constables and three police constables have been kept under observation at Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
Despite the imposition of Section 144 of CrPC, the number of protesters grew to almost a thousand by 11 am. Thereafter, all the entrances to the capital city of Panaji, including both the bridges and the KTC Circle were blocked paralysing the flow of traffic till 3 pm.
Tourists, regular commuters as well as some students were left stranded at KTC. The protest, however, did not affect the ongoing HSSCE examination to a large extent. The flow of traffic eased out only after the police resorted to lathicharge to restore normalcy.
Interestingly, Dhavalikar has denied that the
North Goa Collector Nila Mohanan issued the orders for lathicharge.
When asked about the failure of the government to act early on the developing situation, Dhavalikar said, “We were promised that we would discuss the matter. There are 20 unions and taxi unions and they couldn’t come together. That is the reason why we delayed action against the agitators. Ultimately somebody threw stones and the police reacted. There was no order for lathicharge from the Collector. Police have just pushed them.”
While around 600 personnel of Goa Police were deployed at Kranti Circle near KTC bus stand since morning, 270 police personnel of three companies of Maharashtra Police Service were also put into action to ensure that the swelling crowd remains contained to the KTC Circle.
Sec 144 extended indefinitely
PANAJI: The District Magistrate, North Goa has extended Section 144 indefinitely from March 19.
The order prohibits the assembly and gathering of five or more persons and taking out or organising of processions, blocking of any road, throughfare, street thereby causing disruption in the free moment of public and vehicular traffic, the use of loudspeakers, shouting of slogans and burning of fire crackers near the petrol pumps and at the venues of meetings etc. on either side of the Mandovi bridge and in and around KTC Bus stand in Panaji, Corporation of the City of Panaji and Village Panchayats Penha-de-Franca and Merces.
The above restriction will not apply to public servants on duty and to bonafide marriage or funeral procession or any special occasion or occasions which in the opinion of the District Magistrate or Additional District Magistrate, in writing has been be obtained from the District Magistrate or Additional District Magistrate or the Sub-Divisional Magistrate concerned
