MARGAO
Seraulim in Benaulim constituency virtually resembled a garrison town, but for a different reason. The men-in-uniform were mobilised in strength in the village anticipating a planned bull fight on Sunday evening.
As it turned out, however, the police presence scuttled the scheduled bull fight between two bulls over a huge bet running into lakhs of rupees.
Interestingly, the dhirio at Seraulim on Sunday was the first planned bull fight which has been scuttled by the Goa police post-election result. That the Goa police mobilised the force in strength is a clear indication that instructions must have come from the top to stop the bull fight at any cost.
In fact, questions are doing the rounds in Saxtti circles how come the men-in-uniform have suddenly turned proactive in stopping bull fights when dhirios were literally the order of the day across Salcete coastal belt in recent times. The sudden police action also assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the Assembly election as the result has brought about a change of guard in Benaulim constituency.
The Goan understands that three bus-load of Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel were deployed at Seraulim since Sunday noon. The three buses transported around 60 IRB personnel to the site as a precautionary measure.
That’s not all. The Goa police mobilised the entire police machinery from the Margao police sub-division, with police force requisitioned from the police stations of Colva, Cuncolim Maina-Curtorim, Margao and Fatorda.
If sources are to be believed, Colva police station in-charge, PI Melson Colaco informed that around 30 police personnel from the Margao police sub-division, besides around 60 IRB personnel were deployed at Seraulim to stop the bull fight. “We had information that a bull fight was scheduled to take place at Seraulim. Accordingly, we mobilised the police force in strength by requisitioning additional manpower, besides the IRB personnel.
The planned bull fight did not take place,” PI Colaco said.
The huge police presence on the road near the venue of the bull fight only made passers-by to remark how come the police has suddenly become proactive, more so after post-Assembly election, in protecting the animals from cruelty.
