PERNEM
The Morjim panchayat has directed the removal of an illegally paved road at Warchawada within 30 days, failing which the panchayat will take action in the matter.
The late Umakant Khot had filed a complaint with the Morjim panchayat regarding the illegal asphalting of the road and construction on the agricultural land.
Accordingly, the Panchayat conducted a site inspection and later issued a show-cause notice was sent to the landowners, directing them to submit permissions and documents obtained for the road.
The landowners, however, did not submit any documents and hence, the matter came up for discussion at the panchayat meeting on December 31, 2025.
The panchayat issued a notice on February 6 directing the landowners to remove the illegally constructed road within 30 days, failing which the panchayat will remove the road without giving any further instructions and all expenses will be recovered from the parties concerned.
The land dispute had cost Umakant Khot his life on November 5, 2025.
Khot (63), a retired employee of the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), had been embroiled in a land dispute.
Khot’s tenanted plot had become the centre of contention after an adjoining property was allegedly sold to an “outsider”.
The new buyer, locals say, had carved out a road through Khot’s tenanted land to reach his property.
Khot had filed complaints with several government departments about the road and land sale.
On November 5, 2025, Khot had set out to his land, aware that the local talathi was expected to visit for an inspection following his complaint about ongoing hill cutting.
When the Morjim Talathi arrived at the site, Khot was found lying by the side of the newly built road leading to the property where the hill cutting was reported.
Relatives believed Khot confronted some persons at the site and he was severely assaulted in the process. He was later taken to the Tuem Hospital, where he was declared dead.
They along with villagers alleged Khot may have been assaulted because he opposed the road and construction activities on the hill.
Mandrem police later arrested three persons in connection with the alleged murder of Khot, but the main accused remains absconding.
