MARGAO: Edwin Coelho’s future and his present were brutally shaken and on the verge of being totally destroyed due to the absolutely unprovoked assault on him by a violent policeman on duty PSI Stanley Gomes.
The unprovoked thrashing he received at the hands of PSI Gomes when he was just a visitor to the Margao police station on November 23, resulted in severe damage to his eardrums with a loss of permanent hearing not ruled out.
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While the rogue cop was suspended, the people and Herald demanded his dismissal as well as criminal action. It took seven days for an FIR to be registered. The DGP told journalists in the beginning of the week that he had asked his officers ‘to look into the case’.
Finally, an FIR has been registered against the suspended PSI for assault leading to rupturing of eardrum of Coelho.
Coelho speaking to Herald said he is not satisfied with just the registering of the FIR against Gomes. “I along with all other villagers want that the PSI should be terminated from public services as the same incident should not be repeated with any other citizen of Goa who approaches a police station in distress.”
The FIR against Gomes was registered on November 30, at around 11.30 pm under Section 504 and 325 of Indian Penal Code.
The incident had taken place on November 23 at midnight at the Margao Town police station where the victim was assaulted by Gomes, causing grievous injury to the victim. A written complaint was submitted by the victim the next morning. Time and again after that, police officials tried to force him to withdraw the complaint against the PSI and to settle the matter, as per the victim’s complaint to the police station.
“I am not going to stop here. FIR is not an ultimate answer to the pain which has been caused to me but the Department should set an example so as to make sure that such an act should not be tolerated and forgiven,” Coelho said.
Coelho’s overseas job opportunity may be in doubt or may get delayed due to his medical condition. He demanded only termination of this public servant can give justice to the youth of Goa. But the damage done to him is irreplaceable.
“We are not
happy with the FIR registered as it is all
fallout’s of the pressure
maintained by
the villagers of Navelim and the youth. I
want the police to initiate an appropriate action on the
said PSI,” Adv Seoula Vaz representing Coelho
said.
She added, “Despite this incident being such a serious offence, police prolonged the registering of FIR for over a week. Such incidents
are non tolerable and inspite of being cognizable and non-bailable offence
such delayed was made.”
In a related development, PSI Gomes filed a complaint against Coelho, for abusing him in filthy language and for threatening him with dire consequences while he was discharging his duty.
Margao police have registered an offence under Section 504 for abuse in filthy language, Section 353 for obstructing an officer while discharging his duty and under Section 506(ii) of the IPC threatening him with dire consequences.
PSI Sagar Dhatkar is investigating the case.
