PONDA: Around 100 PWD employees attached to PWD office at Daag-Ponda, on Tuesday, protested at Ponda Police Station demanding the arrest of accused Nagesh Naik (47) from Shantinagar- Ponda, for allegedly assaulting the PWD pump attendant Govind Vishnu Gaonkar (49) at the water tank in Shantinagar.
The incident reportedly took place at 5.15 pm on Monday evening. The accused, who resides near the water tank at Shantinagar, went to the water tank and assaulted the pump operator Gaonkar over the issue of non-release of water in his area.
Following this, the victim filed a complaint at the Ponda Police Station on Monday night. However, since the accused was not arrested, many PWD employees gathered at Ponda Police Station, on Tuesday morning and staged a dharna for two hours, demanding the arrest of the accused.
They also warned that they will not join duty and go on strike, if proper action is not taken against the accused. The victim was admitted to the Ponda Sub-District Hospital.
Govind said that the accused arrived at the water tank, abused and slapped him four to five times.
Dilesh Gaonkar, a relative of the victim, expressing anger over assault, said, “The accused has no right to assault a government employee on duty. If the tank is not full, how can water be released? If the accused had any complaint about the water crisis, he should have filed a complaint with the PWD office, which he did not, and instead assaulted the victim. The victim has been working with the PWD for 22 years and has no complaint against him.”
Ponda PI Tushar Lotlikar said, “The PWD officials have filed a complaint for assaulting their employee and the accused has been arrested for obstructing and assaulting a government servant while discharging his duty under Section 353 and 332 of IPC.
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