the goan I network
MARGAO
Tension rent the air at the Gogol Housing Board after two groups of people clashed late Sunday night, even as the Goa police went into action mode to nip in the bud any communal flare up.
The Fatorda police have arrested a total of nine persons from both the groups based on complaints and counter complaints. They were later released on bail after being produced before the Sub-divisional Magistrate.
The incident is believed to have occurred when a group of four persons assaulted a rival group that was working to install poles to illuminate the Julus procession route in the Housing Board. In retaliation, the rival group is believed to have stoned a Shivaji banner, besides damaging around four-wheelers, which were parked near a road junction.
While these two incidents occurred late Sunday night, tension was palpable in the Housing Board on Monday morning when the group preparing the Mecca Madina float for the Julus procession claimed that the float was damaged by some persons in the wee hours of Monday. A group of people, including women belonging to the community, assembled near the Julus float, demanding the arrest of the persons, who were involved in damaging the float. They refused to disperse, saying the police should first arrest all those involved in the damage caused to the float.
After the intervention by Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who represents the Gogol Housing Board area in the Assembly, the Julus group agreed to continue their work on the float preparation, after the MLA said he would not only discuss with the police top brass to bring all the culprits to book, but warned that he would not allow anyone to disturb peace and communal amity in the area.
Fatorda police station in-charge, PI Navlesh Desai, however, insisted that neither the float was damaged by anyone nor did the police receive any complaint from any quarter on this count.
There were claims and counter claims on how the entire episode had started. One group claimed that a group comprising Mayur Durbhatkar, Sushant Bala Barka, Viju Dilipo Naik and Ketan Vithal Shetty allegedly assaulted Kiran Naik and others when they were preparing the Mecca Madina float and installing lights for the Julus procession. Kiran told the police that the four assaulted him, questioning him for assisting the rival group for installing the lights for the Julus procession. Kiran said the rival group was agitated since they saw him working with members of the other community in the preparations for the Julus procession.
On the other hand, the second group claimed the five persons comprising Jaffer Sayed, Bhakar Shaikh, Mujir Ahmed, Salamat Shaikh and Sahafiulla Mulla formed an unlawful assembly and caused damaged to the vehicles near the junction, besides stoning Shivaji’s banner. In her complaint Rekha Borkar claimed that the group also damaged the roof, door and electric lights of her shop.
Also, they damaged the roof, door and electric lights of the shop belonging to Rekha Ulhas Borkar.
District police chief, SP Arvind Gawas, Margao Sub-divisional Police officer, DySP Raju Raut Desai, were camping at the Fatorda police station since morning after paying a visit to the Housing Board. The scene shifted to the Fatorda police station around noon after the police arrested the five persons involved in rioting and forming unlawful assembly. The four persons, belonging to the rival group, were later arrested by the police.
