Sonia Monterio e Pereira in happy times.
CANACONA
There was shock and gloom in Agonda over the murder of Sonia Monterio e Pereira (33), one of the more popular and well-liked persons in the village.
Villagers were in shock that Sonia was alleged shot dead by her own husband, Alfred Pereira (43), at the gate of house at Agonda on Saturday night.
“Such an incident has never happened in our quiet and peaceful coastal village of Agonda. Sonia was loved by one and all in the village and we cannot believe and accept that she is no more,” remarked one villager, who knew Sonia well.
“Our thoughts also go out to the plight and trauma of the two poor children, who have been left without their mother and now, their father will be behind bars, leaving them without parents.”
People in the otherwise quiet locality of Agonda were shaken to find police teams moving in and out of the area throughout the night, as part of their investigations into the murder.
While Amelia Pires, a retired government teacher, was with the body of her daughter at the Canacona Community Health Centre (CHC) till the wee hours of Sunday, Sonia’s 5-yr-old son was at the house of a relative in the area, when the incident took place.
The daughter, a student of Std 10 was preparing for her exams on Monday and was not informed that her mother had passed away till Sunday morning.
People in Agonda were shocked that Alfred had shot dead his wife and wondered how he had managed to lay hands on a gun without a licence and have it stored in his house.
Neighbours offered condolences and support to the bereaved family and were awaiting the body, which was sent for an autopsy to Hospicio at Margao, for the final rites to be conducted at the Agonda Church.
