Valpoi
Three “bouncers” have been accused of molesting a woman after a fight broke out between two families over ownership of government land in Nagve-Sattari.
According to reliable sources, there are about 85,000 square metres of government-owned land in Nagve-Sattari. The names of some occupants have allegedly been entered in documents, while some occupants have been accused of illegally developing plots and selling them.
The same area of land was reportedly sold to different people, and an argument broke out between the buyers and sellers two days ago.
When a woman noticed a fence being erected in her area of land, she raised a strong objection, and an altercation broke out between her and three bouncers.
The bouncers were accused of molesting the woman, and she later filed a complaint at the Valpoi police station. The police are investigating the incident.
Locals in the area have voiced alarm and anger over the use of bouncers to settle property issues in Sattari taluka.
According to police sources, the land belongs to the government, but for a number of years, people have encroached on the land and have made plots. However, no action has been taken against the encroachers so far.
An increase in the migrant population on this land has also been a concern, and the issue has been raised a number of times in the Gram Sabha of Mauxi Panchayat.
The villagers have been strongly demanding that house numbers should not be given to houses illegally constructed in these areas, and they have demanded that the panchayat should withdraw the house numbers given to those illegally constructed houses.
Locals have warned that if a tense situation arises in these areas in the future, the panchayat would be fully responsible for any law and order problem.
