MARGAO
A day after tension and violence, an uneasy calm prevailed in the communally sensitive Rumdamol Housing Board area on Monday, with the scene shifting to the police stations and the district police headquarters.
While the Maina Curtorim police arrested one Ayub Khan in connection with the attack on Rumdamol panch Vinayak Volvoikar, Sub-divisional Police Officer, Margao, DySP Santosh Desai had an interaction with a five-member delegation from the Rumdamol housing Board comprising Vinayak, Bhagwan and Mantesh Ragi.
While a posse of policemen stood deployed in the sensitive Housing Board area after a day when vehicles, a madrasa and a beef staff were ransacked and stoned, the police were on the job maintaining law and order.
DySP Santosh Desai informed that the police heard the grievances of the delegation, adding that they have been told to submit their grievances in writing so that the police forward them to the right authorities for action.
“The group complained of the increasing illegalities in the Housing Board. They drew our attention to the illegal madrasa activities in a residential house and how the panchayat has failed to initiate action. We have told the delegation that they should make the representations to the concerned authorities,” DySP Santosh said.
Maina Curtorim police station in-charge, PI Ravi Desai said the police have arrested one Ayub Khan in connection with the attack on panch Volvoikar late Saturday night.
“The accused has been arrested for an attempt to murder the panch and for causing damage to his car,” PI Ravi said, adding that the accused has been remanded to two days of police custody.
To a question on whether any action has been taken against the culprits involved in the stoning of the madrasa and the vehicles owned by panch Saimulla Fanibandh, PI Ravi only said the police are investigating the matter.
Saying that the situation in the Rumdamol housing board area is peaceful on Monday, PI Ravi said police have been deployed as a precautionary measure.
Vasco local held for issuing threat to Rumdamol panch
MARGAO:
The police has arrested a resident of Vasco who had reportedly issued a threat on social media to Rumdamol panch Vinayak Volvoikar.
DySP Santosh Desai informed that the accused was picked up by the police for questioning and has been detained under section 151 of CrPC for issuing threats.
Sources in the know informed that besides the police, officials of an agency are believed to have interrogated the accused to verify his background.
Police not primary authority to handle illegalities: SP Dhania
MARGAO:
Superintendent of Police South Abhishek Dhania told the media on Monday evening that the situation in the Rumdamol Housing Board is peaceful and that the police are maintaining a vigil to ensure there’s no law and order situation.
He, however, said the police are not the primary authority to handle issues such as illegalities, be it the madrasa or the beef stalls, adding that the concerned departments should act.
When his attention was drawn to complaints made by Vinayak and his group of rampant illegalities including the madrasa and the beef stalls, SP Dhania said if the shops are authorised and operating with a licence and are being regularly verified by the veterinary department, they cannot be called as illegal.
As far as the madrasa is concerned, he said the police is not the primary authority to handle such complaints.
Illegalities, p'yat inaction causes of communal tension: Vinayak
MARGAO
Rumdamol panch Vinayak Volvoikar on Monday said the increasing illegalities in the housing board area and the panchayat inaction are the causes of the communal situation in the area.
Speaking to the media after a meeting with DySP Santosh Desai at the district police headquarters on Monday morning, Vinayak said the abortive bid on his life late Saturday night triggered the tense situation in the housing board area. “No doubt, I am a panch, but I am also a Hindu. There was a reaction from my Hindu brothers that I have been targeted for taking up the illegal issue of madrasa and other issues,” he said.
The panch said all tension will disappear if the panchayat cracks a whip against illegal activities. He, however, said the present panchayat will not act against the illegal business since it has a vested interest.
P'yat cannot act against madrasa as matter is sub judice: Saimulla
MARGAO
Rumdamol panch Saimulla Fainband said the panchayat is not supporting or promoting any illegalities in the Housing Board area.
He said the panchayat could not initiate action against the madrasa since the party has gone in appeal before the BDO, adding that the panchayat would act as per the directions of the BDO. “Since the issue of the madrasa is sub judice, we could not initiate any action. We are waiting for the BDO to pass the order,” he said.
Saimulla, whose two vehicles were damaged by unknown persons in the wee hours of Sunday, said the rally by panch Vinayak Volvoikar was not peaceful since the video that has gone viral of how members of the group were ransacking the beef stalls.
“People have been calling us to know what action we are taking against those involved in the vandalism. We will call on the authorities, including the district police chief and the collector for justice,” he said.
“Hindus and Muslims have lived in an atmosphere of peace and amity in the Housing Board area for years. We do not discriminate against any religion," Saimulla said.
