Tension runs high at Colva police station

BY HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, SEPT 16 –
Tension prevailed at the Colva police station on Tuesday night when a mob of over 500 angry villagers marched to the police station in protest against the arrest of two activists and stoppage of buses by the police at Cortalim.
The protestors gathered at Maria hall, Benaulim at around 9.30 pm and later marched to the Colva police station, demanding the immediate release of the two activists, arrested and detained at the Verna police station.
Sensing trouble, DySP Umesh Gaonkar rushed to Colva police station and was engaged in discussions with the irate villagers, who questioned the police over registering false cases and arresting two of the activists.
The huge crowd was stopped from entering the police station by DySP Gaonkar and a motley group of policemen.DySP Gaonkar told the crowd that Joaquim D’Silva, who was arrested earlier in the day has been released at Verna on a bail bond. The people, however, demanded the presence of Joaquim and Keith, who too was detained at the Verna police station.
Both Joaquim and Keith were brought to the Colva police station at around 11 pm, but the restless crowd was heard demanding withdrawal of the false cases against 35 activists.
The crowd dispersed from the police station at around 11.30 pm and proceeded towards Maria hall to chalk out the future course of action. They have demanded an apology from the police for the stopping the buses at Cortalim and arresting the activists on false cases. They even threatened to hold a Benaulim bandh if the police failed to withdraw the cases.
Incidentally, PWD Minister Churchill Alemao made his presence felt at the Colva police station at around 11.15 pm and condemned the police action of stopping buses at Cortalim in search of the activists. He and the agitators demanded arrest of the persons, including the panch member, against whom the activists had lodged counter complaints in Monday’s incident at the Panchayat ghar.
Adv Anacleto Viegas, who was at the police station, blamed the Colva police for the tension, which has created a law and order problem. Condemning the police action at Cortalim, Viegas said the police had no right to arrest the activists at Cortalim on false cases.