Panaji: The owner of a popular shack in Candolim has come forward with claims regarding the recent incident that resulted in the assault of three veterinary doctors, which has sparked widespread outrage. She asserts that the doctors themselves instigated the altercation, further explaining that her establishment had been closed for nearly 15 days due to renovations and the Navratri festival, leaving only one staff member present when the incident occurred.
In her statement, the shack owner described receiving a call from her staff about a dispute involving three individuals, one of whom was part of a couple drinking on the beach. “They were drunk and causing a scene. I told them to leave, but they claimed they were assaulted by 15 people, which is simply not true,” she explained. “At the time, there was only one staff member present, and the rest were labourers. The couple had been sitting and drinking on the beach for a long time, and when they requested alcohol, my staff denied them service as our shack hadn’t officially opened yet.”
According to her account, the initial argument began with the couple, and a third individual intervened, which led to further escalation. “They started using abusive language and even threatened self-harm with surgical knives,” she claimed. “We offered to take them to the hospital, but they refused, appearing heavily intoxicated.”
In contrast, the police complaint filed by one of the female doctors alleges that around midnight on Friday, the shack owner and her staff verbally abused her and assaulted her two male friends with a bamboo stick. The two men reportedly sustained injuries to their heads and backs and required hospital treatment. The complaint states that the confrontation began when a worker made a derogatory remark toward the female doctor, leading to a chaotic scene as the doctors attempted to leave.
Calangute Police swiftly arrested two staff members: Jitendra Singh (24) from Uttarakhand and Arun Kumar Vishvkarma (25) from Uttar Pradesh. They were taken into custody around 10 PM on Sunday after being identified as key participants in the assault. Authorities have also issued a notice to the shack's owner, summoning her for further inquiry as the investigation continues.
