A few nights ago, a man kept on persistently calling thepolice helpline “ 100 “ attempting to get them to shut down a rave party thatwas taking place in Anjuna.
Eight hours after his first call was made, the police shutdown the party. It was now six am. Frustrated at the police inefficiency, theman swore to continue to fight for his village.
But, this was no ordinary villager. This is a man who wakesup every day, puts on his uniform and goes on patrol. He is a police officer.
This brave-heart, like the Delhi rape victim who diedawakening the nation to its shamelessness, is an Anjuna local.
In the system, he fights against it. He knows every corner,every sand dune and every field. And he became a police officer to fightagainst injustice.
Now, that injustice is played out against him. While he hasbeen vocal at Gram Sabhas, fi ling RTI applications and even sent writtencomplaints against rave parties, he has been threatened by the very brethren heserves with.
He did speak to The Goan, but pleaded that his nameshouldn’t be revealed on record. “PI Karpe called me on my personal phone,asking him to come see him at the police station. I was ordered not to raise myvoice against the parties, or else…” he said, confirming that he was threatenedwith dire consequences, if he continued his personal fight against theillegalities in his beloved village.
Now, he has been asked to stay quiet and watch his villagecrumble under the weight of illegal drug dens, rave parties, prostitution andmore. No matter what happens next, he will be known as the man who goes aboutthe village spreading awareness about the RTI act, encouraging people to fight, just as he has.
His spirit is unwavering. And it is citizens like him, thatmake Goa proud.
