Team Herald 

VASCO: A Police Sub-Inspector attached to Vasco police station was assaulted at Bimbvel (Hansa) beach on Saturday night. PSI Prashant Bhagat suffered serious injuries to his right hand and is presently undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Bambolim.

The accused were later arrested and produced before the local Judicial Magistrate First Class who remanded them in police custody for two days.

According to Vasco police, the incident took place when PSI Bhagat along with his team went to Bimbvel beach to investigate a dry grass fire case. Police said that they had received a complaint by Naval officials from Varunapuri (naval enclave) that the family members of Inacio Dourado who are living in a house at Bimbvel beach deliberately set fire to the dry grass inside naval area, next to Bimbvel beach, posing risk to naval installation.

“Soon after receiving information about the fire incident inside naval area, four fire tenders rushed to douse the flame while a team of policemen led by PSI Bhagat also rushed to the site to investigate the reason behind fire incident. As navy officials had pointed out involvement of Inacio Dourado and his family regarding fire incident, Bhagat and his team went to Inacio Dourado’s house located at Bimbvel beach and requested Inacio Dourado and his son to accompany him to the police station. However, Inacio Dourado suddenly rushed into his house came out with an axe in hand and attempted to kill Bhagat by assaulting him on his right hand thereby causing him grievous injuries to his right hand. In fact Dourado attempted to kill PSI Bhagat but he luckily saved himself by avoiding the axe strike,” Vasco PI Nolasco Raposo said.

Raposo said that further Inacio Dourado along with his son Jose Mario Dourado, his daughter Succorina Dourado Fernandes and wife Michean Dourado obstructed the police team from discharging their lawful duties as public servant. 

Later, the police said, they brought the accused to the Vasco police station and placed under arrest attempt to murder (Section 307), assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty (Section 353), read with Section 34 of IPC. PSI Bhagat was also immediately taken to Cottage Hospital at Chicalim from where he was shifted to GMC, where he is currently taking treatment.

Meanwhile, following a formal complaint by naval officials against the accused persons for causing fire in naval area, the Vasco police have booked a separate offence against the accused persons.