The case of Velim Church assault is set to complete five years in February. The case has tormented the minds of the villagers all these years and has now ended up becoming a political play ground for all the forces in Goa. The accused in the case now feel betrayed and have expressed their anger on the case being used politically.

On February 26, 2012, on the eve of the elections, Velim village saw an incident which no other village saw in the past. Special branch officers PSI Kapil Nayak along with head constables Krishnanand Rane and Kuldeep Desai visited the Velim priest around 9.30 pm on Saturday and allegedly intimidated the locals that led to tension. The situation ended up in 5 policemen being injured of which two of them seriously, after being allegedly attacked by locals of Velim. The progress of the case will now pass through the test of people.

FEB 26, 2012....

WHAT THE COPS SAID ABOUT THE CASE

The Police on Feb 28, 2012 in their version explained the Saturday night incident at Velim Church in south Goa, in which five police personnel were injured in a mob fury. The local parish priest and some others were booked on Sunday (Feb 27) on charges of assault and attempt to murder police personnel.

The Special Branch of Goa police said: Resentment among villagers following an I-T raid and the visit of a flying squad at the church quarters allotted to Fr. Romano Gonsalves. Some villagers had even given a boycott call of the assembly elections.

 Police say they had made a routine visit at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday.

 Fr. Gonsalves expressed his anger over the raid but did not say anything about the poll boycott decision. 

Soon, a crowd of around 1,000 people gathered. the authorities sensing trouble told CID officials to remain in the church premises and came out to address the people. Fr Gonsalves' bid to calm them down turned out to be futile. They entered the church and dragged out the unarmed CID officials and brutally assaulted them.

The Cuncolim police and CRPF jawans rushed to the spot and managed to rescue the officials.

Sub Inspector Kapil Nayak and constable Kuldeep Dessai were treated for injuries, head constable Krishnanand Rane was admitted to ICU of the Apollo Hospital, Margao. 

LATER...

A case was booked against 22 accused which included 2 priests. Charges as serious as attempt to murder and unlawful assembly were added to the case. Offences were filed against Patrick D’Silva, Angelo Afonso, Darwin D’Silva, Agnelo Silva, Savio Silva, Nigel Caiero, Nelson Caeiro, Agnelo D’Souza, Marcus Barros, Adolf Fernandes, Tony Rebello, Mario Rebello, Alin Rebello, Atorim Pereira, Anjelo Fernandes, Savio Pereira, Max Colaco, Adlete Mascarenhas, Angelo D’Silva and Louis Fernandes under Sections 307, 143, 144, 147, 148, 186, 321, 324, 326, 333, 341, 342, 353 read with Section 149 of IPC.

Fr Romanov was also chargesheeted along with the then Assolna parish priest and current South Goa Episcopal Vicar Fr Lucio Dias. Fr Dias expressed shock that his name has figured on the list when he along with the parish priest had tried to protect the police.