Ponda police arrested about 14 locals on charges of forming an unlawful assembly and obstructing the electricity personnel from shifting the pole.
According to Ponda police, a resident had requested the panchayat and the electricity department to shift the electricity pole, which was situated dangerously very close to his house.
Acting on his request, the panchayat conducted the necessary formalities and asked the electricity department to shift the pole and had even deposited essential amount for that purpose.
Accordingly, the electricity department personnel went to the site on Tuesday and started the process to shift the pole, when a group of locals opposed the move to shift the electricity pole on grounds that the pole will fall close to a religious place. They accused the electricity personnel of illegally shifting the pole.
The locals allegedly blocked the path and refused to allow the electricity department to shift the pole. They claimed that the resident, who wanted the pole shifted, had illegally extended his house.
Ponda PI C L Patil, Joint Mamlatdar Abhir Hede and a large police force rushed to the site and tried to pacify the locals to allow the electricity department to shift the pole.
After a few hours of intense negotiations, the pole was finally shifted from the site.
Electricity department Assistant Engineer D P Singh said they had shifted the pole only after their department had approved the request of the Bhoma Adkona Panchayat.
Ponda police later arrested about 14 residents on charges of forming unlawful assembly and obstructing the government servants while performing their duty.
