PANAJI
A reversing car and a single abusive word allegedly turned a partying scenario into a violent street brawl outside a nightclub in Panaji's busy nightlife stretch in the early hours of Sunday. The eight Goan youngsters who were arrested after a video of the confrontation went viral on social media were subsequently bailed out.
Police sources said the confrontation, which erupted around 4.45 am outside SOHO, was apparently triggered when a woman party-goer allegedly used an abusive word to the driver of a reversing car. “This led to a verbal spat between the two. Friends of each of the two then joined in, which led to a violent confrontation,” the source said. Prachay Kolapte, Jaydon Rebello, Alroy Viegas, Ashbel Ferrao, Mukesh Singh, Roydon Misquita, Joy Fernandes and Joseph Cardozo were among those arrested. Sources said one of the accused has been working abroad.
The incident brought back memories of the 2014 ‘Down The Road’ pub attack when one of the partygoers suffered serious injuries, including loss of an eye and damage to the nasal bone. The attacker was sentenced to three years in prison, though the conviction and sentence were subsequently challenged before the High Court, which partly dismissed one criminal appeal and partly allowed another.
