MARGAO
In yet another tragic road accident, a young couple from Curtorim, in their early 30s, died in a road accident at Gandhinagar, Raia when a speeding car rammed against the scooter they were traveling on late Sunday night.
The husband-wife duo of Loyola (31) and Kennedy D’Costa were killed on the spot, leaving behind their eight year old daughter.
The impact of the accident was such that deceased Loyola, who was riding the scooter, was flung into a compound of a residential house, around 20-30 meters from the accident spot, while her husband lay dead on the road. The speeding car also rammed against a road side compound wall and a bus.
The accident triggered tension at Gandhinagar late last night, with agitated residents demanding that the driver Nathaniel Menezes, (24) be brought on the site to undergo alcohol and other tests. The agitated mob refused to allow the ambulance to take the deceased to the hospital, insisting that the police produce the accused at the site.
The tragic accident came within 24 hours of a similar accident that took place on the Colva-Margao road past Saturday midnight, killing two police constables on the spot after the nakabandi point was rammed by a speeding car.
Maina Curtorim Police station in-charge, PI Mohan Gawde managed to pacify the crowd past midnight after assuring that a delegation representing the residents will be allowed at the South Goa district hospital when the tests are conducted on the car driver.
The police informed that the accident occurred when the accused driver drove his vehicle while proceeding from Sonsodo in a rash and negligent manner without proper care and caution endangering human life. The police said when the car reached near Gandhinagar, the four-wheeler knocked the Access scooter from behind. Loyola, who was riding the scooter, with her husband Kennedy riding pillion, sustained critical injuries, resulting in their death.
PI Mohan Gawde said the accused driver also fled from the spot without giving any medical and without informing the police.
The driver has been booked under section 279 and 304-A of the IPC, and under section 134(a) and 134 (b) of the Motor Vehicles Act. PI Gawde said the driver has since been arrested by the police.
Curtorim deputy Sarpanch Simon Barretto demanded that the government release immediate relief to the eight year old girl, who has been left behind by the tragic accident.
He said the duo was reportedly returning home from Benaulim and had almost reached their residence at Curtorim when the mishap occurred.
He also demanded that the Maina Curtorim police station put the land line telephone in order, saying the land line is the only means of communication available for the common man to contact the police.
