MAPUSA
In a new twist to the ongoing opposition to the dance bars operating illegally in the beach village of Calangute, the police booked three youth, including a panchayat member, on the complaint lodged by the proprietor of Devils restaurant, who allegedly runs a dance bar, for assaulting one of its employees.
Recently, the Calangute panchayat along with local youth had launched a war against the operation of illegal dance bars in the village and had even inspected some of the premises and warned the owners to shut down the illegal activities.
Based on the complaint filed by the proprietor of Devils restaurant, Dev Ravikant Yadav, Calangute Police booked three residents of Calangute “ Rohit Palkar, Sunny Kandolkar and Swapnesh Vaigankar who is panchayat member of ward 9 for allegedly assaulting a staffer of the restaurant.
Yadav in his complaint stated that the three alleged accused with a common intention assaulted an employee, Moseen and threatened to eliminate him and further damaged the main entrance door of the restaurant.
Incidentally, a video that has gone viral on social media shows one of the alleged accused manhandling one of the staffer outside the restaurant.
Soon after the police action against the trio, several villagers of Calangute including the three alleged accused got together and met Calangute MLA, Michael Lobo and Calangute Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira along with the panchayat members on Wednesday.
The locals demanded strong and immediate action against all the dance bars in the village which according to them have created a fear psychosis in the village.
They said the touts and guides lure tourists with false promises of girls and massages and once inside the clubs threaten and at times even beat and extort money from them.
The villagers further said that most tourists now preferred Ashvem beach in Pernem instead of Calangute due to the menace of the illegal touts and guides who have been having a free run in the village.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira assured the villagers to take positive action against the illegal dance bars by following proper procedure and urged them not to take the law into their hands.
“The panchayat has started the process to act legally against the dance bars within the framework of the law. Give me some time to complete it. We cannot take law into our hands. I request you all to remain patient for some time till we eradicate this nuisance,” Sequiera said.
He said the panchayat has given complaints against the dance bars to the collector, Calangute PI, DySP, SP and all the other authorities.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo informed the locals that the chief minister and the government will stand by the local panchayat to act against the illegal activities taking place in the village.
“What process the panchayat is doing has to be done. Let them serve notice to the owners, hold a hearing and then take action. Anyone can move out but no one should take the law in their hands. The number of illegal touts has come down. I assure you action will be taken against all illegalities,” Lobo told the locals.
