Support from all over has been pouring in while her family is fervently praying that their beloved Berta recovers quickly. Velim MLA Benjamin Silva also dropped in to check up on her. Chinchinim locals urged him to ensure that that the accused is not allowed to go scot-free.
Her husband Meclano Fernandes and children Dextor (27), Dayle (22) and Dayne (17) are still shell-shocked. For them, it’s a traumatic experience waiting to know the condition of their pillar of strength.
Meanwhile, the public is upset with the Cuncolim police for not carrying out proper investigations. This is the fifth case in the last two months in which the police have been criticized for not conducting the panchanama properly.
The other four include the fatal accident at the Assolna-Cavelossim bridge, the death of an Ambaulim resident in Cuncolim, the death of a Velim youth, and the Balii case where a Panjim resident lost her life.
The family was further pained when the Cuncolim police stated they could not carry out further investigations until they get the victim’s statement, and as she was still in a coma, the investigations had been stalled.
It maybe recalled that the eyewitnesses and family demanded that the police carry out the panchanama properly, and after three hours of arguing, the police relented. The public had not allowed the police to take the van and demanded that the driver be brought to the site. The driver Soccoro Cardozo from Assolna was arrested by the Cuncolim police and released on bail.
, but the public and family feel the authorities are trying to shield the accused.
“The accused deserves the harshest punishment as he was driving without his headlights and it was totally his fault. Look at her condition. And worse, he ran away from the site,” said a Chinchinim resident.
Chinchinim locals have demanded a through police inquiry into the lapses on the police’s part. They want the intervention to come directly from the state home minister, director general of police, South Goa superintendent of police, and South Goa deputy superintendent of police.
