PANAJI: Yuva Forward Goa State President Meshu D'Costa, along with suspended Electricity Department workers staged a protest at the Sanguem Electricity Department office on Friday, demanding the immediate revocation of suspension orders issued following the Xelpem labourer electrocution case.
D'Costa alleged that several employees who were not directly connected to the incident had been suspended without justification. He urged the government to revoke the suspension of those who had no role in the accident and conduct a fair inquiry to identify those actually responsible.
Suspended Electricity Department worker Shrikant Poojari claimed he was not present at the accident site when the incident occurred. "At the time of the incident, I had been assigned another duty and the Assistant Engineer was with me. Despite that, I was suspended," Poojari said.
He further alleged that two other employees, who were also not present at the site, had similarly been suspended.
Electricity Department Executive Engineer Uday Kudalkar met D'Costa and the protesting employees. According to the protesters, the Executive Engineer assured them that the department would make efforts to revoke the suspension of the three workers, stating that they had been assigned to other duties and were not present at the incident site.
D'Costa also questioned the findings of the inquiry report and sought clarifications from the Executive Engineer and Assistant Engineer regarding the basis of the suspensions. According to the protesters, the officials did not provide satisfactory answers.
Linemen from different parts of Goa joined also gathered in solidarity with the suspended workers, demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the Xelpem electrocution case and action only against those found responsible.
