PERNEM
Sand extraction activity took a violent turn when two extractors were shot at and injured at Porascadem in Ugvem-Pernem in the wee hours of Tuesday.
According to reports, the two sand extractors, Ramrishi Ramraj Paswan (54) and Lal Bahadur Goud, both natives of Bihar, had gone to extract sand from the Terekhol River, when unidentified persons fired gunshots at them.
While Paswan sustained bullet injuries to his neck, Goud suffered bullet
injuries to his stomach and right arm.
On receiving news of the incident, Pernem Police Inspector Sachin Lokre and a police team rushed to the spot and shifted the injured workers to the Goa Medical College hospital at Bambolim for treatment.
Acting on a complaint filed by Paswan, police have registered a case against unknown persons for attempt to murder and illegal use of a firearm. Police were also conducting investigations into the motive for the shooting incident.
When contacted, PI Lokre said the police are investigating the case and added that police are also looking into claims that two rival groups may have been involved in the incident.
According to sources, the growing demand for sand in the construction industry has led to stiff competition to extract sand in the Porascadem area.
Such has been the demand that sand traders from Maharastra regularly send a number of trucks to Goa to collect the extracted sand. This has led to a booming business of sand extraction in the Terekhol River in Pernem taluka, with a large number of families directly or indirectly dependent on the activity.
Sources added that this demand for sand extraction has led to an influx of workers from other states and contractors had provided them accommodation in nearby areas. This has prompted concerns on whether the details of these workers have been registered with the police.
