WEDNESDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2026
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3 locals booked for obstructing forest staff on official duty

CANACONA

Three locals, including former Khotigao sarpanch and ST leader Daya alias Umesh Gaonkar, have been bookec by Canacona police on charges of obstructing forest staff while discharging their official duty in the village.

According to Canacona Police, Anand Mestri, Range Forest Officer of Khotigao lodged a police complaint stating that on February 23 at 10.35 am, the forest staff were discharging their official duty by supervising the ongoing work of digging the foundation for the Anti-Poaching camp.

Mestri claimed Police that the accused persons, Umesh (Daya) Tolu Gaonkar, Gajanan Velip, and Kalpesh Gaonkar, all from Khotigao, with their common intention started arguing with the staff and obstructed them from discharging their duty and forcefully stopped the ongoing work.

The complaint further alleged that the 3 accused persons snatched the keys of the JCB used to do the work and thereafter threatened the JCB driver and forced him to refill the dug-out foundation for the anti-poaching camp.

Police booked the three accused under Sections 132, 351(3) r/w 3(5) of BNS 2023 and further investigation is carried out by Canacona PSI Rajasekhar Reddy.

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Locals, forest dept clash over construction work in Khotigao

Forest dept files police complaint against 3 locals

THE GOAN NETWORK
Published Mar 7, 2025, 12:59 AM IST
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Locals, forest dept clash over construction work in Khotigao

CANACONAThe two-week confrontation between locals of Khotigao and the forest department has now intensified over construction works in the forested area of the village.While the forest department has filed a police complaint against 3 locals, including a former sarpanch, for obstructing construction of an anti-poaching camp in Khotigao village, the locals accused the department of illegally carrying out a construction in the village allegedly to house a check post at…

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