A flower vendor in Mapusa has alleged that she was assaulted and forcibly evicted by municipal workers while selling flowers on the roadside during the Diwali festival rush.
The vendor, who sells flowers in the Mapusa market only during festivals for 1–2 days, said she regularly pays daily sopo fees of ₹150–200 to the municipality. Despite this, she claimed municipal labourers confiscated all her flowers and verbally abused her, ignoring repeated requests for leniency.
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She further alleged that on the first day of Diwali, municipal staff demanded ₹2,000 without providing any receipt for the amount collected.
Locals and fellow vendors condemned the incident, calling it “inhuman harassment of poor vendors during a religious festival” and demanded immediate action against the municipal workers involved. Authorities have yet to comment on the allegations.
