CURCHOREM
The incident sparked off angry reactions as hundreds of locals gathered at the site and pelted stones on the truck, while also demanding action against the truck driver and the owner. The villagers had also demanded that Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral visit the site.
According to reports, the incident took place as a truck (GA-09-U4546) was speeding from the Tilamol junction, while scooter rider Dipika Dessai (32) and her mother-in-law Nayan Dessai (55) were proceeding on their two-wheeler (GA-09-F-2715) from Tilamol towards
Cuncolim.
On reaching near the Tilamol junction, the truck knocked down the scooter, dragging the two women, while a two-year-old boy escaped with injuries and was shifted to Hospicio in Margao for medical treatment.
Furious over the mishap, hundreds of locals rushed to the spot and began demanding a halt of mining transport passing via the Tilamol junction, and also demanded that a bypass road be constructed, especially for
mining transport.
The agitated locals pelted stones on the truck and refused to allow the vehicle to be removed from the spot until local MLA Nilesh Cabral visited the accident scene.
In the meantime, Deputy Collector Shankar Gaonkar reached the spot, and the protesting locals insisted that they want transport to be stopped from main Tilamol road, and that, action be taken against the truck driver and owner.
The locals also accused the traffic police of failing in their duty and not implementing government guidelines on
ore transportation.
The truck remained at the accident spot till 6 pm, though police tried their level best to persuade the locals that they needed to remove the bodies.
However, the locals were not ready until they get satisfactory answers on their doubts and solutions to such accidents.
Later at about 6.15 pm, the locals allowed police to take the mining truck to the Quepem Police station.
The deputy collector assured the locals of working out a solution regarding mining transport and traffic at a public meeting, which is scheduled at the deputy collector’s office on Thursday
at 4 pm.
