Team Herald
CANACONA: With the Canacona Police on Wednesday booking Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey for her alleged obscene act at Chapoli Dam, the video that went viral on social media, Canacona residents have announced a taluka bandh (shutdown) on Thursday to protest the poor handling of the case.
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They have decided to close the National Highway for traffic except for essential services. Complainant Samrat Bhagat announced that they will hold a dharna against the “inefficient” police. Earlier in the day, a delegation of locals led by Bhagat met the Deputy Collector of Canacona outside his chamber in Chaudi.
Undeterred over the assurance of the deputy collector that the investigation is going on in proper direction, the agitating locals demanded that the Collector be present.
Prashant Naik, Mohandas Lolienkar, Pratima Couthino and local leaders questioned the role of the authorities and they claimed to have proof that the structures where the shooting took place were painted a day before and two policemen in civil clothes stood on guard at the dam gates till the shooting was over.
The scene turned tense when they were told that the police have registered a case against unknown persons when the residents claimed that it is clear in the video that the actor is Poonam Pandey.
Shantaji Naik Gaonkar, a local activist asked when the actor had booked her stay in a starred hotel in Canacona till November 6 how did she check out on Tuesday, did the police direct her to check out.
Former minister Ramesh Tawadkar demanded handing over the investigation to higher authorities.
South Goa SP Pankaj Kumar Singh arrived and tried to convince the agitating crowd that he would direct an officer of the rank of DySP to investigate the case.
This led to heated arguments between SP, DySP Nelson Albuquerque and the agitating public with the locals blaming the two officers for shielding the PI and demanded suspension of the PI and the two police personnel who stood on guard during the shoot.
Not convinced with the assurance from the SP, the locals said that they would announce a taluka shutdown on Thursday and also will close the National Highway for traffic except for essential services.
“We are given to understand that finally Pandey has been booked by the Canacona Police for the porn video but it’s too little, too late. All of us have decided to remove our shirts in protest for the inefficiency displayed by the police and we have appealed to the shop owners from Canacona to voluntarily down their shutters and will we are going to block the traffic on National Highway except for essential services,” Bhagat said.
