27 Mar 2023  |   05:46am IST

Tension in Sanguem as two killed in fatal accident

Chari family loses 2 sons within five months; villagers block road, demand ban on heavy vehicles

Team Herald

Sanguem: In a horrific mishap at Dabamal, Sanguem, two persons lost their lives after a head-on collision between a gas-laden tanker and a two-wheeler on Sunday.

Police stated that the tanker was proceeding towards Sanguem after supplying gas to a soft-drink manufacturing company based at Shelpe IDC while the deceased Manjyot Chari was travelling on his two-wheeler from Cotarlim to Dabamal-Shelpem when both the vehicles collided at the turn. 

The two-wheeler was dragged for about 20 meters and Manjyot Chari died on the spot. A non-Goan labourer who was grieviously injured later died at the hospital.

It may be recalled that Chari's brother Navelsh Chari had died in a similar manner five months ago with the tanker of the same company being involved in the mishap. The villagers then had blocked the road and demanded to ban the heavy vehicles through the village. On Sunday, the villagers again refused to move the body and expressed anger over the absence of company officials at the site. The company continued with its production process despite the incident which only added to the anger of locals.

Sanguem  Mamledar   Gaonkar and MLA Subhash Phal Desai rushed to the site in the evening but the locals refused to discuss anything until and unless the company officials showed up. When they finally did arrive questioned them as to how they kept their operations going on despite two persons losing their lives here.

The mishap took place around 2:30 pm but the bodies were sent for autopsy at 8 pm as locals were not ready to back down.

A meeting has been called on Tuesday morning at Cotarlim which will be attended by MLA, company officials, deputy collector, mamlatdar, police officials and the villagers to decide on the company's future. As per the locals, they want the company either to be completely shut or for the authorities to build a substitute road for the heavy transportation of the vehicles.

Meanwhile,  Manohar  Chari, the grief stricken father of the deceased young men asked the authorities as to who would take care of the families with their bread winners gone.