Team Herald
VALPOI: Valpoi police have finally registered two FIRs in the case of attempt to murder and throw acid attack on Surendra Gawade, one of the villagers from Sonshi village. The village was the scene of serious air pollution last year due to ore transportation.
As a result of the pollution, the entire village came out on the road and courted arrests. They later refused bail saying they had done nothing wrong.
Four criminal cases are pending in the Valpoi court against the villagers who protested against the ore transportation. Despite the mining companies and their trucks reportedly violating environmental laws and caused air pollution putting the lives of the villagers in danger, no cases have been filed till date against either the companies or the truck drivers.
The recent attempts to intimidate Surendra Gawade and the villagers are reportedly part of threats to the villagers to withdraw cases filed by them in the High Court, the Human Rights Commission and the Scheduled Tribes Commission. However, no villager has filed any case in the High Court related to the Sonshi pollution.
According to Surrender’s complaint at Valpoi police station, he was returning home on his bike two men wearing black dress and masks blocked his way and threatened to attack him with knives. He managed to escape and save his life, says the police complaint.
