Benaulim shuts shop over arrests

HERALD REPORTER
Anti-housing activists storm Colva police station
MARGAO, JULY 25 —

Incensed over the late night arrests of two of its members, anti-mega housing activists from Benaulim took to the streets on Friday morning, enforcing a bandh before marching to the Colva police station to demand the immediate release of the arrested persons. The activists demanded the immediate resignation of Benaulim Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes, holding her responsible for getting the two activists arrested on a false and baseless complaint.

Shops and business establishments in the heart of Benaulim downed their shutters in response to the bandh call to protest against the arrests of the youth based on a complaint from the Benaulim Sarpanch. Traffic, however, plied as normal.

Braving incessant heavy rains, the young and the old marched to the Colva police station from Maria hall junction, where the activists squatted on the main road near the police station in protest over the arrests.

Sub-divisional Magistrate, Margao Dipak Dessai and Sub-divisional Police Officer, DySP Umesh Gaonkar rushed to the Colva police station, even as the personnel of the India Reserve Battalion were deployed near the Benaulim Panchayat ghar and at the Maria hall junction as a precautionary measure.

Leaders of the Benaulim Villagers Action Committee led by Geraldine Fernandes had a meeting with SDM Desai and DySP Gaonkar, wherein they demanded to know the propriety of the police to arrest the two youngsters at the dead of night. While daring the police to place her under arrest since she too was present at the Benaulim Panchayat on July 23 along with other activists, Geraldine maintained that it was unfair on the part of the police to arrest Rosario and Henry while they have having dinner. “We are not criminals. The boys have not assaulted anyone. Why are we being treated as criminals”, she demanded to know.

DySP Gaunkar later told Geraldine to move for bail since the two persons were legally arrested. He, however, told her to submit an application stating the version of the activists of what transpired at the meeting in the Panchayat hall. Gauncar told Colva PI Edwin Colaco not to go to the houses of the wanted persons when they are willing to co-operate in the case.

Earlier in the morning, activists assembled at the Maria hall junction after news spread of the arrests of the two persons. The activists shouted slogans against the Sarpanch, calling her a Sarpanch working for the builders and called upon the villagers to launch an united battle against mega housing projects.

Benaulim Panchas Menino de Bandar and a lady Panch, besides Seby Fernandes addressed the people later around noon and called for unity to scrap the mega housing projects. “The Sarpanch ought to be with the people and not to arrest the village youth. Unite to save Benaulim for posterity”, they said.