Tilamol tense as rival groups of youth clash; traffic halts

THE BATTLE GROUND
>> Some youth from Curchorem clash with youth from Xeldem
>> Xeldem villagers come out in support of youth from their area
>> Curchorem boys flee from the site before villagers can regroup
>> Xeldem villagers proceeded to complain to Quepem police
>> They demand that the Curchorem boys be arrested and handed over to them
>> Soon thay go Tilamol junction and block traffic in support of their demand
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HOW DID THE
CONSTABLE
GET INJURED
>> Villagers from Xeldem reported to the Police that he was hit with a knife by the boys from Curchorem when he went to stop the fights between the two groups
>> But the Police constable has given a statement that he sustained the injury when he fell into the gutter as he was pushed while attempting to stop the fight
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QUEPEM: In a sudden flare up on Sunday evening villagers of Xeldem in Quepem blocked vehicular traffic passing through the Tilamol junction on the highway after a confrontation between a group of youth from their village and another set of youth from Curchorem.
DySP of Quepem, Dy Collector of Quepem, PI Curchorem, PI Sanguem and a strong posse of policemen arrived at the site but the villagers remained adamant from staying clear off the inter-State highway.
Sources said some youth from Curchorem took on the youth from Xeldem. Matters escalated and the two groups got into a physical confrontation, coming to blows at each other.
As the news of the confrontation between the two groups of youth spread,villagers began pouring out on the streets from their homes in support and solidarity. The Curchorem boys, however, made good their escape from the site before villagers could regroup.
Details of the incident are fuzzy and conflicting reports say that some people from Xeldem managed to identify two of the Curchorem youth involved in the confrontation and chased them up to Curchorem. They got into a second confrontation but retreated after the Curchorem group managed to mobilize forces.
The villagers from Xeldem then proceeded to the Quepem Police Station to file a complaint.
Quepem Police Inspector Brutano Paixeto gave them a hearing and then asked them to bring those involved in the fight so that he could record their statement.
The mob however was unwilling to obey and had an altercation with him accusing him of refusing to register their complaint.
They demanded that Paixeto arrest the accused from Curchorem and hand him over to them or they will go to Curchorem and get him.
Soon the group of people went to Tilamol junction and blocked all vehicular traffic proceeding to and coming from Curchorem in support of their demand that police arrest the accused and hand him over to them.
The group insisted they will not open the road but will go to Curchorem and get the accused themselves.
Some unconfirmed reports also said that villagers have accused the boys from Curchorem of molesting some lady from Xeldem village by entering her house. Although police asked them to bring the victim to the police station to record her statement, till 10 pm no one had come.
Over 200 villagers were seen blocking the road with two-wheelers, stones and pipes.
One journalist was also manhandled by the villagers as he was aiming his camera at the proceedings in an attempt to get photo-shots.
Meanwhile, there are reports that one police constable of the Curchorem police station is injured and admitted to Hospicio hospital with severe wounds to his arm.
The villagers from Xeldem allegedly reported to the Police that he was hit with a knife by the boys from Curchorem when he went to stop the fights between the two groups. But the Police constable has given a statement that he sustained the injury when he fell into the gutter as he was pushed when he went to stop the fight.