MARGAO
Former Panjim Police station in-charge PI Sudesh Naik on Friday submitted before the Special Judge conducting the trial in the Panjim police station attack case that supporters of then Taleigao MLA & incumbent Revenue Minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate hurled stones and glass bottles at the Panjim police station following provocative and inflammatory speeches made by the MLA.
Continuing his deposition in the case, PI Sudesh, who now heads the Panjim police sub-division as the Sub-divisional Police officer, said around 45 police personnel, including Lady police constables, were injured in the stoning of the police station. He further said the two policemen, a male and female, were admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim with grievous injuries.
PI Sudesh alleged that Monserrate’s supporters had brought glass bottles and stones and stored them in the vehicles parked near the police station.
“After the provocative and inflammatory speeches by Monserrate, the agitators turned violent. They started pushing the police personnel who had cordoned off the police station with barricades to enter the police station,” he claimed.
He pointed out that the MLA and his supporters had set a half an hour ultimatum to the police to arrest the remaining accused in the Ryan Godinho assault case and also the release of Ryan, adding that the agitators had also raised the demand for action against the police, including suspension.
Deposing before the Special Judge Ishad Agha, PI Sudesh said the Taleigao MLA had come to the station to inquire after the arrest of Ryan, adding: “Since I had gone for bandobast duty given the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti’s meeting, I informed the matter to the SDPO, Panjim, DySP Mohan Naik.”
He added: “The MLA was demanding the arrest of the group behind the attack on Ryan, who was the MLA’s supporter. The police had by then arrested two persons, Sheikh Imtiaz and Paulo in connection with Ryan’s assault.”
PI Sudesh claimed that after the MLA left the station, the police received information that the MLA and his supporters were allegedly forcing shop owners at Taleigao to participate in the morcha to the Panjim police station, adding that burnt tyres were placed on the roads to stop traffic.
“The agitators came with banners and shouted slogans against him and the police and demanded my suspension. By 19.30 hours that day, a mob of 800 persons reached the police station and sat outside forcing the police to cordon off the area with a barricade,” he said.
PI Sudesh pointed out that when he returned to the police station from bandobast duty, he was told by SDPO Mohan not to enter the police station from the front side since the agitators were squatting there.
He said the police immediately requisitioned additional police force from the Old Goa and Agassaim police stations, besides force from the Mapusa sub-division for law and order duties.
PI Sudesh pointed out that while SDM Shetye held talks with the agitators to work out a solution, they insisted on their demands for the release of Ryan and the arrest of the remaining accused persons involved in the assault on Ryan.
